1. Start a creative project
Have you been working on a creative project for a while that you just can't find the time for during your studies, just like me? This is your chance! I personally love to work with needle and thread, and have been wanting to make my own clothes, bags and other accessories for a while. Now that it is summer vacation, I have all the time I need. Painting, drawing, sculpting, making your own jewellery or photography are also perfect ways to bring out your creative side. Or how about upgrading your bike or, like Wisang, making a robotic arm? No matter what your hobby is, now is the time to finally bring your project to life!
2. Organise your recipes
At the end of this academic year, I noticed that I had collected a lot of nice recipes, but stored them all over the place. I saved recipes on various websites, took pictures of written ones, stuck post-it notes in cookbooks, and even saved recipes on TikTok and Instagram. Sounds familiar? A useful to-do this summer is to organise all your recipes in one place, for instance with one of the many apps designed for this purpose. Or, if you are in a creative mood, write them out in your own recipe book!
3. Try out new recipes
I get it: during the academic year, you don't always have the time and energy to try out new recipes. Nor do you want to risk a recipe failing while your hungry housemates are waiting for you. The result: you end up rotating the same meals over and over again. During the summer vacation, these excuses no longer apply: you have all the time to try out new recipes. Who knows, you might discover a new favourite dish and no longer have to cook pasta pesto every week! Moreover, if you start studying next year, it’ll be convenient if you can already cook some tasty meals.
4. Room makeover
If you have been living in your student room for a while, there are probably a few things you’d like to change. Summer vacation gives you all the time you need to give your room a makeover. Change the layout, hang new posters or photos, paint your walls a new colour or decorate your room with plants. If you want to add new furniture or accessories, try visiting a thrift store like Het Goed. This way, you can give your room a new look without having to spend a lot of money!
5. Clear out your wardrobe
While you're at it, take a look at your wardrobe too! There are probably plenty of clothes at the bottom of the pile that you no longer wear or that no longer fit. Throw these clothes away, donate them to a clothing bank or sell them. If a garment is made of high-quality fabric and has a nice print, you can also reuse it in a creative (sewing) project, for example!
6. Learn a new language
Always wanted to learn Spanish, Italian, Dutch or another new language? With apps like Duolingo, this can become a reality this summer. How fun would it be if you could impress your friends by speaking Dutch after the summer?
7. Explore a new place
There are so many beautiful places to discover in the Netherlands. Visit new cities, explore nature reserves, museums, castles and other cultural sites or take a day trip to one of the Dutch islands! With public transport, you can reach many places in the Netherlands within a few hours.
8. Go outside
Now that the sun is shining and you don't have to spend all day in lecture halls, it is the ideal time to go outside. Go walking, swimming or relaxing at Rutbeek, roller skating, running, or just have a good read in the sun. You never know when it might rain again in the Netherlands, so if the weather is nice, definitely take the opportunity to enjoy it!
9. Learn a new skill
Always wanted to know exactly how a motor works? Or want to learn to play the piano, crochet, code or build your own PC? While during your studies you are obliged to study certain subjects, now you have all the freedom to learn something on your own terms. YouTube tutorials are your best friend!
10. Meet up with friends
Being bored together is better than being bored alone, right? Message your friends and plan a picnic, game night or movie marathon. The summer vacation is also the perfect opportunity to meet up with old friends from home, who you don't see as often during your studies.
11. Be a tourist in your own city
There are probably plenty of places in Enschede you haven't discovered yet. So go out as a tourist in your own city, with your friends or on your own! Try out new cafes, cycling routes or visit a museum. Protip: as a student, you can visit De Museumfabriek and Rijksmuseum Twenthe for free! Another fun way to rediscover Enschede is by playing an escape game with your friends.
12. Volunteer
Do you have spare time and would you like to do something good for society? Then volunteer this summer. For instance, help out at an animal shelter or food bank, or sign up as a buddy for elderly people who feel lonely. You can find various organisations that offer volunteering activities through Google, like the Gemeente Enschede.
13. Gardening
Gardening is the perfect way to enjoy being outdoors. Whether you want to plant flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables, gardening is relaxing and very satisfying when you can harvest your own products. If you don’t have a garden, you can rent your own garden on campus for only € 20.00 a year.
14. Relax
And finally, use your time in the summer vacation to do nothing at all every once in a while. You don't need to have an activity planned every day! Take some days to sleep in late, binge-watch a series, lie in the sun all day or relax in other ways, without feeling guilty about not doing anything productive. This way, you will be fully recharged when the new academic year starts again!
