For many students taking summer quarter at Bellevue College, vacations are not planned for the upcoming weeks due to responsibilities at school. Arguably the most common substitute for the mental break of a vacation is to spend hours lolling around the house watching TV or playing video games.
As the 80-degree humid blanket of heat drains your motivation, you’ll probably do anything in your power to find an air-conditioned paradise.
With instant stream services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Play, thousands of TV shows and movies are available at the click of a button. Multiple seasons of “Mad Men,” “Doctor Who” and “Walking Dead” are at students’ immediate disposal. “You know you are lazy if you get excited when plans are canceled,” said a friend of mine.
According to National Public Radio, your muscles don’t contract at all when sitting. Your metabolism slows down when major muscles aren’t moving. Remember that when you go back to the fridge for one more slice of pizza or bowl of ice cream.
Despite my discouragements above, I’m not really an example of summer activism. Transferring to Western Washington University in September could be a nightmare because I’ve procrastinated so much. I haven’t even started to get rid of the superfluous population of clothes, books, old keepsakes and random paraphernalia that I can’t bring to Bellingham. Clearing my possessions could be a cathartic process in itself however. It might eliminate stress in the cluttered back corners of my mind, hopefully to be replaced with something more useful.
Take that smoothie outside and read that book you started and never finished. Dog owners have it easy; go on walks you haven’t taken before. Research restaurants with favorable happy hour menus and visit them all. Even on a cloudy day, Alki Beach is one of Seattle’s most beautiful destinations. Grab a croissant at the bakery and plop down on the slightly rocky sand. Bring a friend and talk for hours. Focus on the healthiest, most enriching ways to relax, not the easiest or most accessible.