Many of you might be thinking: the vaccine’s out, shouldn’t it be a regular summer as always? Well, while COVID restrictions have been severely relaxed because of the vaccine, not everyone is going to get the vaccine. We haven’t reached herd immunity yet, as a country, which means that while most restrictions will be relaxed, not everyone is going to be able to stop wearing a mask everywhere. Some people won’t get the vaccine out of fear, which is a whole issue in of itself, some can’t get the vaccine, such as kids under the age of 12, so there are probably going to be a lot of households that still need to follow restrictions in order to keep themselves safe.

So, without further ado, I present my list of fun, yet still pandemic safe ideas for summer.

Go on a bike ride.

This is a great idea.  You can hang out with friends, get some exercise in, and go anywhere you want. If the weather is nice, you might want to bike all over town, especially in an area like New Providence where there are many bike trails and parks you can go through. Plus, this way you won’t need to ask your parents for a ride or borrow the car every time you want to hangout with friends.

Have a picnic

If your family is comfortable with you eating indoors, then by all means go grab something nice indoors with your friends, but for those of you whose parents are being extra careful, or even those of you who want to enjoy the nice, summer weather, a picnic would be a great option. Pack some food, bring some snacks to share, and lay out a blanket in the shade. Have a picnic in the park, and bring some games to play.  It could end up being a really fun day!

Go to the Beach

Summer wouldn’t be summer without going on at least one beach trip! The hot sun, the rolling waves, the sand between your toes: there really isn’t anything like it. Have a beach day with your friends down the shore. Even if you don’t necessarily like the ocean, bring a book or some music and just enjoy the scenery. If you feel comfortable with it, maybe go on the boardwalk, grab some ice cream, play some claw games, and make some memories. Remember to bring your sunscreen, though.  Sunburn hurts!

Watch a movie

Movie theaters are good and all, but have you ever watched a movie outside? Grab a projector and some blankets and watch a movie outside. If all you have is a laptop, then use that too. Just hang out in the warm weather and have a movie marathon with your friends. Bring snacks and drinks, and lots of comfortable blankets, and you’ll be set for hours. 

Go to the pool

As we all know, the public pool is open this summer. Throw on a swimsuit and use it! You can play games and cool off in the water. Don’t have a membership? No worries, buy a plastic kiddie pool at Target for 20 bucks, get some water balloons, and have your own budget pool party in your backyard. I promise it’ll be just as fun, and a lot less expensive.

While this list is just a suggestion for some of the people who still need to follow COVID regulations, these are also good activities in general. So whether or not you’re vaccinated, go outside, get some sun, prevent a vitamin D deficiency. Highschoolers have been inside wearing stuffy masks surrounded by plastic dividers for the majority of this year. Get outside and breathe some fresh air before you get stuck inside during school again next year.