We all know that feeling when you have just spent the past three hours endlessly scrolling through Instagram, Tiktok, or whatever it may be on your phone that is captivating your attention. The guilt starts to set in because you realize that those hours were meaningless to your life, and you start to imagine better ways you could have spent that time.
With summer on the horizon and one week of school left, it is easy to fall into this black hole that becomes extremely hard to escape. That is why The Hive has created a list of 5 alternatives to giving your soul to a screen.
Alternative Number One: Read. A simple concept really, yet it is overlooked by many high school students. Reading is a great activity for a rainy day when you must hunker down in the comfort of your home. If you’re wondering how to find the right book, head to our own EHS library where one of our beloved librarians will use their expertise to find the perfect book for you. The EHS library checks out books over the summer which makes it even more convenient. The Hive created a list of staff recommendations, so please feel welcome to refer to that if you are still searching.
Alternative Number Two: Visit a local ice cream shop. We have so many great ice cream shops in Essex, and Vermont as a whole, that are perfect spots to visit on those days when it’s scorching hot. Some great local spots include Sweet Scoops and Rocky’s, but if you are feeling adventurous you could head to the new Island Ice Cream in Williston where they make their own refreshing treats, or to the local favorite Palmer Lane for their delicious maple creemee. Either way, there’s a spot for everyone with most places having dairy free options, sorbets, etc. This activity will require money, but you are getting a pretty good bang for your buck.
Alternative Number Three: Get a job. Having and maintaining a job for the summer will give you valuable work and life experience, add to your resume, and give you some sweet cash that you can use to buy ice cream (see above). Getting a job is also a great way to give back to your community by helping out. If you’re not sure where to start, check out the student and summer job opportunities documents created by Ms. Hemingway, or stop by the library and ask her yourself.
Alternative Number Four: Go on a hike or take a walk in nature. We are lucky to be located close to Vermont’s Green Mountains, so don’t let this amazing opportunity go to waste. Vermont’s hiking offers a versatile range of difficulty with trails that are relatively flat to others requiring some rock scrambling to reach the summit. Some recommended hikes would be Mount Philo, Camel’s Hump, Mount Mansfield, Mount Pisgah, and many more. The best part is that no one trail is the same so each one is a new adventure that is sure to keep you busy all summer.
Alternative Number Five: Check out swimming spots. Vermont also allows for a range of swimming spots from chlorinated pools, reservoirs like Indian Brook and Waterbury, as well as freshwater streams and lakes. This activity can even go hand in hand with a hike as a nice way to cool off after a long day of sweating up a mountain. These lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water are frozen for half of the year, so it is important to take advantage of them while you can. Remember when planning to swim in any of Vermont’s natural pools to stay in the know about dangerous algae blooms, and be careful around white water, especially at swimming holes.
The Hive hopes that this article has given you some ideas of all the activities you can do this summer instead of staring at a screen. We also want to remind you that this is not an exhaustive list, so we also hope that it has inspired you to think of your own fun ideas. Please make sure that all activities are safe and planned out.
