We’ve all been there. It’s midway through summer. You’ve already binged all the new shows on Netflix, Hulu and HBO. You have a finger cramp from refreshing your Twitter and Instagram feeds so much. Your phone is so dry with no friends in town to hit you up that you are debating whether or not you need to get it some special phone lotion. This is the level of boredom that can only happen during the summer when you have run out of things to fill free time that was once jam packed by studying and homework. Luckily for you, I have a few handy-dandy tips for productive and fun things to do instead of counting down the minutes until school starts back up!

1. Clean Your Room

I know, I know. This is probably the most basic and boring thing to do, and you probably thought of doing this about three weeks ago. But don’t scroll away yet — I have a special twist to this idea. For some of us, the second we left for college our parents immediately turned our little safe havens into new workout rooms, guest rooms or offices. For me, my room became the dumping ground for all things past Nicole didn’t want at college or really anywhere. So, take this new found free time and clean your room. I am talking DEEP cleaning here folks. Blare some music or a podcast if you’re feeling fancy, get some trash bags and go wild. Not only does this leave your room fresh, clean and newly organized, it also will leave you feeling the same. I can’t tell you how much joy I got from finally getting rid of clothes I had stashed in my closet from the sixth grade as well as my newfound ability to sit in the junk chair that had been piled up with clothes for years (don’t judge, we all have the one chair). So enjoy yourself, maybe even rearrange a little and impress your parents with your newfound cleaning skills.

2. Move Around

This can apply to many things, but the “moving around” I am referring to here is exercise. This might be the only time during the year when you will truly have the time to exercise without doing it at weird hours of the night or morning because of classes. I’m not saying to suddenly start running six miles today and lift 200 lbs. (is that even possible????), but a little evening walk everyday won’t hurt anyone. Not only will this fill up your hours of free time, it will also allow you to clear your head, maybe get a summer bod and set habits leading to a healthier life. Try walking the dog (or cat, bunny, turtle, etc.) that you missed so dearly during college. You could even try out the cult that is Crossfit. Either way, there is nothing to lose here except some time sitting on the couch staring at the wall.

3. Cooking

Now this can be a slippery slope, but I have a pretty good explanation for this one. Now that you’ve started a new #fitness routine, you are going to need calories and energy to back up this new hobby. This gives you the perfect excuse to finally learn how to cook your mom’s famous lasagna or the perfect stir fry (cue Migos song please). Come back to college this fall and amaze your friends with your newfound cooking abilities. Either way, enjoy the new foods and creations that will be coming your way.

4. Explore

Assuming you don’t have a job keeping you home, I cannot stress enough how much exploring can distract you from your lack of plans. This doesn’t mean you have to take a wild road trip across the United States with wacky adventures along the way. Exploring can simply mean exploring your neighborhood, local parks, forests, pools or even your town and local ones near you. When I tried this, I discovered that my town held a ton of cool concerts, and I now go to them every weekend. You never know what surprises you will find when you go out of your way to go somewhere you have never been. Whether you bring a buddy to the local farmers market, go on a personal adventure or enjoy the peace of a hike or local UFO welcoming center — know that fun memories will be created. To give you some motivation, try to keep a map with lines and dots of places you went and things you did.

5. DIY Yo’ Self

I know that not everyone is equally artsy, but DIY yo’ self can work for even the most artistically challenged person out there. This can mean making things for your room or even fixing things that have been broken for awhile. For others, try painting, making your own furniture or creating your own clothes. To be honest, this is what fills up most of my free time during the summer, and my roommate has really come to appreciate the countless decorations and painted tables and chairs that have come out of this hobby. Not only does it keep you busy and creative, it gives you a little reminder everytime you look at your finished product that you made it and saved some money along the way.

6. Read The Tiger!

Sorry, I felt kind of obligated to do this. I know I am the worst. Feel free to tell your friends!

Well Tigers, I sincerely hope this has given you some ideas on how to fill the hours of free time that you don’t know what to do with. Let us know how your summer is going and feel free to show us if these ideas worked out for you or if you have some yourself!

To contact Nicole, email [email protected]. Or let us know how it’s going on Twitter and Instagram @thetigerCU.