With the hottest season in full swing and sunlight lasting longer than it will all year, it’s only fitting to want to make the most of the summertime!
This is especially true for teenage girls since this season is the optimal time to hang out with friends, discover new personal styles, and even uncover some hard truths through introspective activities.
Simply put, there’s more to do this summer than spending time doom-scrolling through the same five social media apps and living life behind a screen. At Eva Carlston Academy, students are getting out and hiking twice a week during summer. This kind of activity and those listed below can make all the difference in the quality of life for a teen girl.
Journaling
“Dear diary” is a phrase that a bulk of people are familiar with. Though teenage-targeted romantic comedies may present the topic of diary-keeping as something girly and almost laughable, journaling is a tool revered by mental health experts for the numerous amounts of benefits.
It’s more than just jotting one’s thoughts down on a page or complaining about strains in relationships with friends and family. Journaling is a way to truly work through individual issues in a safe, productive way (that doesn’t come at the expense of another person).
Journaling allows a teen girl to be truly transparent in an optimum environment. Though it can be as simple as scribbling words down on a page, it can be as intricate or creative as the individual allows themselves to be, making for a truly personal time with each click of a pen. Students at Eva Carlston do art and journaling activities at local parks during the summer.
Yoga
Summertime is a time for relaxation. For a lot of teenagers, that can mean spending countless hours in bed sleeping, or liking TikTok videos and Instagram posts. Though spending time online is healthy, there are ways to unwind while keeping productive!
Yoga is one of the most popular forms of exercise in society today, and its rising popularity is mainly in part to the number of psychological benefits that coincide with the physical work the workout calls for. A favorite summertime activity at Eva Carlston are the outside yoga sessions.
Practicing yoga, even just once, releases depression-fighting endorphins and naturally formed “happy drugs” like serotonin and dopamine. With regular practice, it can reduce the crippling feeling of anxiety and stress that comes with being a growing teen.
Revisit Your Childhood
Being a teenager brings about feelings of independence and being overjoyed at the fact that the road to freedom is paved with gold. However, it’s still bittersweet, especially when older teens realize that their childhood days are on their last leg.
But it doesn’t necessarily need to be that way- especially since that newfound independence can be used to relive the days of one’s youth.
Spending time with family, whether it be around the house, or on a vacation (camping, anyone?) is a surefire way to heal one’s inner child, offering them peace during a time of chaos.
Being Present
By far one of the best things a teen girl should practice during summertime is the act of mindfulness. Though it may sound simple enough, it’s something that a lot of adults fall short on in their day-to-day lives.
Being present in each connection one makes, and in each action chosen throughout the day will make it easy for a person to know when they’re dedicating too much of their time to something they shouldn’t be (bad relationships, phone overuse, etc.).
Simply taking a moment to ground oneself and listening to what the body is telling you can be enough to make each day this summer has to offer the best one yet.
