As the weather gets warmer and campus wildlife is more abundant, the beauty of a Bloomington summer is at its peak. However, after a stressful finals week, students may be left feeling burnt out.
If you are ready to embrace the summer spirit and destress after finals, here are five activities to embrace the season.
Make your own bikini box
If you have a surplus of swimsuits, flipflops, towels or other beachy items, you can store them all within a cute summer-themed box.
To make a bikini box, you first need to get a wooden crate. The size of the crate is completely up to you, but I suggest accounting for how much you want to put in it. Once it’s picked out, you will need a wide variety of acrylic paints to make your crate adorable and personalized to you.
Pastel colors are great for tropical vibes. Then you can paint flowers, shells, fruit and more on your crate. You could also write the word “bikini” in your own script or glue tiny shells to the side.
I love the creativity in deciding what to paint on the box and how functional the finished product is. As I have an ever-growing swimsuit selection, it is important to find a way to control the mess.
Build an outdoor movie theater in your backyard
The summer is a great time to relax with friends and watch a movie, so make sure you grab your favorite snacks for this outside activity.
First, wait until late at night to use a projector in your backyard so you can recreate a drive-in experience. While there are inflatable projection screens that stand upright available for purchase online, I have found it is just as easy to drape a screen or white sheet on a backyard fence or wall. Outdoor speakers can amplify this experience, as well.
To top it off, get picnic blankets or any sturdy cloth to lay under you and bring pillows and blankets to make the set-up more comfortable. Get your desired snacks and enjoy the movie with the stars above you.
However, make sure to keep bug spray on hand. As someone who lives in the country, I know it’s necessary to make sure you aren’t getting bitten. Despite this threat, watching movies outdoors has always allowed me to better connect with my loved ones. “Lilo and Stitch” and “The Sandlot” are examples of great summer movies to watch with family.
Customize your dishes with painted glassware
For something functional in the home, get creative and paint glassware. With its multipurpose functionality, you can even use glassware to hold mini ecosystems.
For this project, all you need is paint and dishes to decorate. You can get jars and glassware from your local craft store, along with paint, or upcycle a jar from the thrift store for cheaper.
From here, it is all about personalization. You can create little designs on the glass, such as flowers or aquatic wildlife. Once it is done, you can fill it up with your favorite summer drinks, such as summer refreshers while not contributing to more plastic waste.
To add a mini beach to your jar, add some sand and whatever you find at the beach. Fill the jar with ocean or lake water and label the date to preserve the day’s memories.
Make a mini terrarium by harvesting a bit of greenery from outside. Add some dirt to the bottom, creating ample moisture for life. Hardy cactuses and succulents make great additions.
I enjoy the flexibility that painting glassware gives you as, like the bikini box, you can combine creativity and functionality into one custom object. Custom glassware is also a great way to express gratitude and can be the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Celebrate your friends with friendship bracelets
To express your friendship or simply your ability to make cool bracelets, you can create braided shell bracelets for your friends.
Get some vibrantly colored embroidery floss and decide the pattern of your bracelet. Summer-themed ideas include waves, Hawaiian flowers, turtles and other equally adorable patterns which can be found online.
As you make the bracelet, be sure you adjust the size to the width of your wrist. You can also add beads and summer-themed charms. If braiding it is too much, you can always use elastic thread and beads to make an ocean-themed beaded bracelet.
For bonus fun, get your friends to join you and make whole sets you can wear at the beach. Make matching bracelets or use complimentary colors with patterns symbolizing your friends’ personalities.
Having attempted braided bracelets before, I can attest to the fact that complicated patterns can be challenging. For this reason, I would recommend starting off using simpler ones.
Add some decor to your home with a seashell wind chime
During summer days when the weather is just too windy for a beach day, you can make a coastal wind chime. It can be the perfect addition for a garden or if you just want to hear the wind’s music from your porch.
These instructions show various ways you can choose to tie up the shells. Start by using a piece of driftwood, wooden ring or another option to make the chime’s base. After that, use twine strands to hold lines of unique shells. In between the shells, you can choose to add glass beads or crystals.
Although this craft takes time, it allows you to carry out a unique vision. The design and materials used can vary based on your choice, allowing you to make it more personal.
Living close to one of the Great Lakes, I have become accustomed to the sun and sand. Not only will these crafts and activities keep me busy during the summer, but I’m sure they can also keep burnt-out college students entertained during break.
