3 Things to Do Before Summer Ends

It's been a while since the last blog post, but we are still actively editing podcasts, creating blog post ideas, and planning future Blurbz activities. We've been pretty business with junior year, and now, college applications - because believe it or not - we are almost college students! Anyways, despite us lagging behind a bit with our activities, we still want to share some tips and tricks with you all!

For this blog post, this is just a lighthearted post where we talk about a few things that we care about and how we think these things could benefit you too. We hope you enjoy!

#1 Read

Reading may not seem all that enticing at first, especially since all school teaches us about reading is: rhetorical devices, plot charts, and other literary analytical devices that suck the joy out of reading. However, learn to read for pleasure! Whether you are interested in a mind-boggling science fiction story or a juicy coming-of-age romance, there are tons of interesting stories that may be an attractive option for you. Reading is a great way to pass the time, while also being a healthier option than scrolling on your phone for hours. In fact, it is scientifically proven that reading is really good for the brain and can help your memory retention. We have read quite a few books over the summer and have recommendations from all varying genres, so we will list a few down below.

Book Recommendations:

They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Circe by Madeline Miller

Convenience Store Women by Sayaka Murata

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Beartown by Fredrick Backman

Pachinko by Lee Min-jin

Educated by Tara Westover

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

#2 Try a New Food

Some of us eat to live, and there are some of us who live to eat. Fortunately, we are part of those who live to eat. Food is like an art form. It speaks cultures, while bringing us nourishment and comfort. For those of us who are picky eaters, it may be a little more difficult and it may be daunting, but it will never hurt to try. What is the worst that is going to happen? Not liking the food? For all we care, spit it out or chug water! But on the other hand, you may love it! If you like cooking or baking, even better! Try a new recipe and test it out to see if you like it. You may find a new favorite dish that you can bring to the next potluck and share it with everyone you love. The point is, there are a ton of possibilities food-wise and it is up to us to discover them. It is almost like a little adventure waiting for us to set out on!

#3 Go Outside and Enjoy Nature

During school season, most of us are cooped up at school for 8 hours of the day and then return home only to continue to be cooped up in our room. During the summer, a lot of us continue this cycle. Summer is the time to go out and enjoy the hot weather! Summer will pass by quicker than you expect, so it is up to us to make the most of it. Go outside for a walk, a game of your desired sport, or even pick up a new outdoor sport. Here at Blurbz, we enjoy a good walk with our favorite music blasting through our headphones. The physical activity along with the fresh air or even muggy air and jams, is an instant dopamine and serotonin boost. If you're not a big fan of the hot weather, try going out before noon or during dawn where the sun isn't full blown fiery heat.

Also, as sad as it is, nature isn't going to last forever. Our environment is slowly(or quickly depending on your perspective of time) deteriorating and the pace is only rapidly increasing. Showing a little bit of appreciation for mother nature and the great outdoors is a good way to be conscious of our actions and the ways that they might impact our home.

Hope you enjoyed these three activities that you can enjoy over the summer! We will be more active and update, hopefully, more regularly. Signing off, your favorite Blurbz member! :)