Things To Do the Summer Before College

Caps in the air and diplomas in hand, high school graduates embark on the next chapter of their lives filled with feelings of both excitement and sadness. Some students will be moving away for college in the coming months, while others will stay closer to home. Either way, it’s a time of major transition.

This summer is a bridge between the past and the future. It may include goodbyes to childhood friends, family members and pets, but new friends, routines and responsibilities lie ahead.

Now the question stands: How should you spend the summer before college? What can you do to make the most of it?

Of course, checklists will be made and double-checked, suitcases will be packed and hundreds of detergent pods will be added to the online shopping cart. Yet time also needs to be set aside for making memories. You want to hit all the family-favorite traditions one last time and maybe start planning a few new ones as well.

Making the Most of Summer Before College

There’s no right or wrong list of things to do the summer before college. It’s a personal blend of nostalgia and new beginnings.

Love the Ones You’re With

Whether you’re moving 10 miles away or 1,000, spending time with the ones you love is essential. Have family dinners and make cherished dishes. Mom’s home-cooked spaghetti and meatballs carry so much weight when microwavable mac and cheese becomes your new normal.

Soak Up Places That Feel Like Home

Take as many trips as you can to your favorite diner, coffee shop or restaurant. Visit the local hidden gems, the beach, the state park. Make sure to snap photos and get them printed; college dorms make the perfect blank canvas for hanging memories that remind you of home.

Start Discovering New Favorites

Although your hometown spots will always hold a special place in your heart, you’ll find new favorite places at college. Do some research on the types of foods and activities you like near campus to acclimate yourself with the area and create a list of places you want to go.

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Establishing New Traditions

Creating new traditions is also important during the summer before college. Try picking up a different hobby or taking a trip. You never know, it might become something you can bring with you to school or return to in the summers ahead.

Start Learning

Finally take a dance class, learn to play pickleball or pick up crochet. College students average 20 hours a week of free time, according to the National Library of Medicine, so you’ll have plenty of time to continue something you like as an extracurricular activity or club during the year.

Take a Trip

The last summer before college is also great time to visit a bucket-list destination. Whether it’s a weekend road trip with friends or family or a solo trip abroad, taking a trip gives you new perspectives, experiences and conversation starters. Vacations can also be a perfect relaxer before your exciting college journey begins.

Master Everyday Basics

Get a head start on the essential life skills that all college students need, like laundry, cooking simple recipes and managing money.

No matter how you spend this season, make it one to remember!

How will you be making the most of your (or your child’s) last summer before college? Tell us in the comments.

Morgan Rizzo

Based in Rhode Island, Morgan has been writing travel features for five years. When she’s not hunting down the cutest coastal restaurant by the water, she’s exploring new towns in search of the perfect vanilla latte.