Hobbies Help Keep Away the Summer Blues

Summertime is something students look forward to all year. But some people develop the “summer blues.” For these people, the summer’s brutal heat, bright light, and long days can contribute to depression. Also, when there are no plans or structure, as there is in the school year, the days can get boring. And boredom sometimes leads to sadness.

To keep away the summer blues I do my favorite hobbies. The hobbies I write about below are relatively simple and fun, and feasible for all ages.

Gardening

• It feels good to care for and nurture a small seed into beautiful flowers. Gardening is simple: you can start by putting a pot on your windowsill and watering it every day. There is some science behind the idea that exposure to natural environments can benefit your mental health: “Research has shown that gardeners generally have greater life satisfaction, enhanced self-esteem and fewer feelings of depression and fatigue than non-gardeners.”

If you’re a beginner gardener, you can start out with succulents, which are really easy to take care of. Usually, they only need to be watered every few days. Also, they make a really cute decorative piece for your house.

Baking

• Who doesn’t like chocolate cake? Baking is one of my favorite summer hobbies because it is easy, fun, and delicious. Also, food brings people together. You can bake for or with your friends and family. If it is too hot to use the oven, you could make no-bake treats, like marshmallow Rice-Krispie bars. Check out this post from my favorite baking blog about no-bake dessert recipes.

Volunteering

• The benefits of volunteering are enormous to you, your family, and your community. Volunteering connects you to others, benefits your mind and body, can advance your career, and it brings fun and fulfillment to your life. Good places to volunteer are non-profits, such as your local public library. If you want to volunteer somewhere else you could try looking for opportunities on justserve.org.

What are your hobbies? What kinds of new hobbies are you interested in trying? Share with us in the comments!