T
he summer is the best time of year. Why? Because there is no college and the world is really your oyster. Pondering this in my lonely office I have compiled a list of the top ten best things to do during the summer! I can personally tick each and every one of these things of the list, which I think completes my student summer checklist. See how you do and if you have any others that you feel are more deserving to be on the list please let Explicit know via a letter or email. 1. Go to the beach The beach is the business during the summer. I have an inherent fear of sand and the places it can get but never mind that. The beach is great with the sun, the swimming, relaxing and the necessity to wear very little clothes for every one. Did you hit the beach this summer? It’s bonus points if it’s out of Ireland…well come on its never warm enough in Ireland is it?? 2. Travel My definite favourite what with the huge number of students getting a J1 and going state side! Then there are the more adventurous few who see the rest of the world. Travelling is one of the best things any young person can do. It opens your mind to different cultures and experiences that just don't happen at home. Once you start too, it’s really a bug. Check out www.lonelyplanet.com, and see how much is really out there. 3. Festivals Between Electric Picnic, Slane and Oxegen, Ireland really has a lot of great festivals to go to! There are more out there on the continent and they are a whole lot cheaper. For example Rock Werchter is a festival every summer in Belgium. With flights, camping and my ticket costing around 260 Euro. Well it’s a deal, it’s a steal it was the festival of the %$&*£%^ century! Travelling and festivals covered in one go plus a little bit of being naked. 4. Learn something new It’s always cool to teach yourself something new during the summer. Let’s be honest, by the time college is done you have more time to do whatever you want over the summer. Whether it be learn to play an instrument, cook or to juggle it doesn’t matter. Just don’t waste all that free time! 5. ROADTRIPS!!! Don’t want to leave the country? Road trips are great. Head to Galway or some tiny bar in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of mates and let the good times roll! Or just take a road trip to the beach wherever. Break up the monotony of it all and go somewhere mad.
6. Get a crap job Every student gets a job they usually hate for the summer but it doesn’t matter. It pays the bills and gets you out a couple of nights a week. You make new friends and come back to college with more stories. 7. Be Naked I personally enjoy the excuse, “Oh its way to hot to wear pants today” or “I’m working on my tan”. Everybody likes being naked, now I’m not saying in a public park lets get arrested naked. I mean just chilling, enjoying the good weather naked, i.e. not exposing yourself to other members of the community. 8. Absolutely nothing! Ohh the lazy days! When you wake up and realise “Yes, I have nothing to do”, then you go back to sleep. It’s brilliant when you wake up, put on some pants and that’s you for the day. Sit in front of the TV or just go and visit some friends. Having no responsibility, no worries. I miss it so… 9. Make loads of money and have nothing to show for it You end up working usually between 30-40 hours during the weeks of the summer. You make loads of cash and then August hits and you realise, once again “I have drank, ate and spent almost all the money I’ve earned during the Summer.” You know what? Who cares. Summers where you have lots of money are usually great and unless it’s a new kidney you were saving for, it’s not that important is it? You have two kidneys. 10. Repeats Had to bring it up, everyone has to repeat at some stage. A recent survey (I asked some friends of mine) shows that three out of four students have to repeat at least one exam during their time in college. It’s not a huge mistake, it happens to the best of us whether things just went wrong on the day or you were having a tough year of it. Just get it done and enjoy the summer as much as you can! Well that’s my comprehensive list. That list was not meant to bring anyone down or realise, “Crap, the summers over!”. That list is supposed to make people realise what a great summer has just gone by and start looking forward to the next one. In the great words of Nina Simone: “Summertime and the livin' is easy” - Dil