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10 great ways to spend your summer vacation

By Shilpa Shet
April 22, 2008 16:26 IST
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Does your day begin at 10 am? Are your evenings a blur? Are your nights completely unforgettable?

Well... you sure need a good vacation then. A week into this routine and yawn... you want to do something new, don't you?After all, vacations are to try out new stuff.

We thought and thought to come up with unique ways to spend your vacation. Here's what we finally collated:

Take up a job

Many companies hire teenagers during the summer season. Most companies face a crunch, what with existing staff vacationing with their families. Hence, for those with career aspirations, get a job. Who's hiring? Almost everyone. If you have a skill, leverage it. Right from BPOs, software firms, advertising agencies, newspapers, corporates, hospitals, hotels... the list is endless.

Take up a hobby

Ya, right. So you've heard this before. But this time around, make it happen. First of all choose your hobby well. Let it be something you've been dying to do all your life. First of all, remember to list all the things you've wanted to do. Then identify the hobby that best fits your time, budget, and location.

Learn

Learn a new skill this vacation. Let it be a crash course on enhancing communication skills -- gaining this has become very essential for everyone. It could be a short typing course to enhance your typing skills.

Or it could be something more tangible like a short-term JAVA course or some other computer language. It could be a new language that you could learn. It could also be a semi-vocational course like tailoring or sketching. Something that will help you build your technical skills.

Learn a new game

It's never too late to learn a new game. If you are hooked on to Playstation, move on to something else -- like the Age of Empires. Games are a huge industry and who knows, one of you might get into the industry because of your sheet passion for the game. And then, if you are the brick and mortar type, run to your local toy shop and buy something for yourself. I know a lot of young people out there who love to construct and deconstruct toys/games. For more ideas, you can check out: http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/.

These are toys created by using everyday materials.

Go adventure-hunting

If you are the adventurous type, the world has suddenly opened up for you. Hunt for new places where you can vacation and conduct adventure sports. It could be a local dam that very few have heard of or it could be the mountain patch that becomes accessible during this season.

Explore, talk, and reach out. Go bird-watching, join nature trails, or go back-packing. Remember to do all this based on expert guidance.

Nurture a pet

It could be something as no-high-maintenance like a cat. If you have the will and the time, you could get yourself a dog, a rabbit, a duck, love birds, and such animals. Talk to someone who knows about animals to make your choice.

Do some volunteering

For the socially conscious, may be volunteering with some local social agency might be a good idea. There are many voluntary groups that regularly require youngsters to contribute to their effort. Especially, the NGOs that work with street children. You could enroll up for one of these.

Create a study group

The best way to share knowledge is to create study groups. These are groups of like-minded people, who come together to share thoughts and ideas. Some of the greatest thoughts in history have come due to interactions within the young, like you. Decide on a place and a time. Choose a topic to discuss and run it to ground. Many who are petrified of group discussions can find this activity beneficial.

Learn a new tool

There are some who learn when they create. Learn a new tool... it could be working with a pick-axe or learning to use the scissor well. You could even learn tools like the tools from different ethnicities.

What are the tools the Chinese use to make moh-mohs? (the answer is... they don't call them moh-mohs, they call them dumplings...)

Connect with the spiritual you

This could be a good time to de-stress yourself, especially if the next year is going to be an academically challenging year. Learn some yoga, some meditation technique, try vipassana, or may be pranayama. Choose whatever you think suits your personality the best. Sometimes doing something as mundane as cooking can be de-stressing for some people. Identify the task that helps you de-stress and works towards a calmer you.

So, here are our tips. Pick any you like. And if you have any more tips, do share them with us.

Happy Holidays!

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Shilpa Shet