6 Helpful Tips for Teens to Have a Healthy, Balanced Summer

As school winds down and the weather heats up, our students are already looking forward to summer. Some are planning to get jobs or go to camp, others are looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, and some are looking blissfully ahead to sleeping in every day. Other students (and their families) get a little nervous about three whole months without school and with less structure.If you want to have a healthy, balanced summer, here are some tips that could help.

1. Create your structure

If you don’t have to get up for school or you don’t have a job lined up, it can be tempting to sleep in and bask in the joy of not having plans. While that might feel good for a few days or even a week, it can start to take a toll on your mood. As humans, we may not “like” structure but we seem to be at our best when we have it. You can create good habits simply by picking a few things you want to do every day. For example, go for a walk every morning, do a cleaning/organizing task in the afternoon, and read a book every evening. These are regular activities that can give some structure to your day.

2. Set Goals

Three months is a long time! You can make realistic short-term goals and work toward some of your longer-term goals during this time. Think about what you want to accomplish and write out the steps you need to take to get there. Let's say you want to save a specific amount this summer to contribute to your college fund. Figure out how many hours you need to work and how much of your paycheck you’ll need to put aside. If you want to work on maintaining your friendships over the summer. Set a weekly goal of spending time with a friend in person or schedule a video call if they are long-distance. 

It’s also important to keep longer-term goals in mind. For example, if your long-term goal is to study Veterinary Medicine, the summer is a perfect time to set up a job shadow at an animal clinic or volunteer at a local animal shelter so you can get a glimpse of the career you want to pursue.

When you’re setting goals, it helps to write them down and keep them in a place you can see them. For example, you can make an elaborate vision board poster to hang in your room, or keep it simple and write a list and put it on your bulletin board. Plus, it’s fun to check them off!

3. Learn something new

Yes, we are a school telling you to learn something - shocking. But the truth is, it is important for your brain to keep working even when you aren’t in class for the whole day. The good news is that you can decide what you want to learn! In fact, this can be one of the goals you set for yourself. If you’ve always wanted to master cooking, now is your time. If you’re curious about learning a new language, there are lots of apps or online classes to explore. If pickleball has always seemed fun, but you haven’t had time to try it, now is your chance! If you don’t become an expert on this new endeavor over the summer, that’s part of the fun, but you may pick up some useful skills if you give it a shot.

4. Take care of the basics

To care for your physical and mental well-being, you’ve got to take care of the basics! 

• Eat well - Make sure to eat regular meals! Maybe even throw in a couple fruits and veggies. You need fuel to take full advantage of those summer days.
• Hydrate - it’s easy to get dehydrated in the heat, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water
• Sleep - Get most of your sleep during nighttime hours to help keep your circadian rhythm intact. Staying up all night occasionally is fun, but if you make it a habit it can seriously impact your mental health
• Move - Move your body every day, preferably in the fresh air. If it gets really hot where you live, try taking a walk or jog early in the morning or just before the sun sets. Go skateboarding, biking, or hiking. And of course, swimming is the best way to move your body and stay cool in the summer!
• Wear sun protection - if you’re going outside, make sure you put on sunscreen or wear UV protective clothes. Nothing puts a damper on a fun day outside like a sunburn.
• Keep it clean - take care of your personal hygiene and keep your space clean. Impress your family by changing your sheets at least once a week and helping with the laundry!

Taking care of these tasks can feel overwhelming at times, but making it a priority to care for your health will ultimately help you make the most of the summer!

5. Work or volunteer in your community

Doing good work, either as an employee or a volunteer, can boost your self-esteem and help you gain skills and connections that will help you in the future. Working as a lifeguard at the pool, a camp counselor, or in a coffee shop can help you meet people in your area and make strong connections. Volunteering at the local library or food shelf would also be a great way to contribute to your community and meet new people. 

6. Have FUN - real and in person!

Summer is a great time to unplug, get outside, and be with friends. Make a summer bucket list of activities you want to do with friends and family, and by yourself. Think about the things you enjoyed doing as a kid or things that you’ve always wanted to try. Some of our summer favorites include:

• Find as many places to swim as possible 
• Try all the different ice cream spots around town
• Hang out by a campfire
• Make tie-dye
• Go to the drive-in or host your own outdoor movie night

Make it your own

There is no one right way to spend the summer, so make it your own. Do your best to spend time intentionally. Whether it’s relaxing with friends or learning a new skill, don’t let the summer slip by without savoring it.

More Resources

Psychology Today -Coping With Summer Unstructured Time When You Have ADHD

Scientific American - School's Out. Should You Worry about the Summer Slide?