5 SIMPLE WAYS TO ENJOY SUMMER DURING PANDEMIC

Summer is finally here and I am beyond happy because I absolutely love the freedom and joy that surrounds this warm season! I don’t think it’s difficult to enjoy summer because there’s so much to do outdoors, but given that we are still in a pandemic, our options for activities are still somewhat limited. However, that doesn’t mean that we still can’t make the most of it even if that means finding creative ways to enjoy it at home/ practicing social distancing.

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO ENJOY SUMMER DURING PANDEMIC:

1. Buy some flowers/ plants: I have always been a plant lover and you can clearly see that from my apartment decor post here. I recently have added some hibiscus trees to my balcony and bought some daisies to put around my living room. I forgot how much joy flowers bring me and it’s something that I want to continue doing for myself throughout the summer! I usually gift or receive flowers, but I’ve never actually bought flowers just for the hell of it and now I’m thinking to myself, why didn’t I start doing this earlier?!

2. Read a book outside: I am lucky enough that I have a balcony and a rooftop so I use both amenities to read outside. There’s something refreshing about being reading outdoors. If you don’t have a balcony or rooftop, then feel free to go to a park and have a read there. I prefer to read by myself and I think it’s such a great quality activity to do alone!

3. Have a picnic: Whether a pandemic is happening or not, picnicking is one of my favorite outdoor activities to do during the summer! I’ve actually had at least 5 picnics since the start of the pandemic and I definitely think they will be a running theme throughout July and August. It’s so much fun making snacks or ordering take out from restaurants and simply spreading it out in a park and enjoying the food with friends. It’s also a relaxing thing to do since you can just lay out and tan or even combine this with reading!

4. Drink a morning smoothie: I know this might sound a bit expected, but the more simple the activity, the better! There’s nothing more refreshing than a fruit and veggies smoothie in the morning to start a beautiful summer day. Just as much as I love making a nice warm tea in the winter, I feel the same with a cold drink in the summer. I love experimenting with different smoothie recipes and the one that I am obsessed with right now is a kale, mango and pineapple smoothie with chia seeds, hemp seeds and coconut water!

5. Maximize any outdoor space: If you’re like me, you hate being indoors during summer but with the current pandemic, it’s hard to fully be outside as much as I’d like.  I am aware that states are opening up and NYC is slowly opening up as well, but the summer that I’ve known and loved is not the same as what I can have right now. I think creativity is everything so if you have a backyard, or some sort of outdoor space (like a balcony and rooftop as I have mentioned), then maximize it! And if you live in a small apartment, then maximize the space of a public park. Some of the activities that you can do include outdoor bbq, outdoor workout, create your own movie night, make a tent/ fort, have a water gun/water balloon fight or even make some tie dye shirts since that’s been trending all over social!

As you can see, there are still ways to enjoy summer without really leaving your home or having to traveling by car or plane. I am happy that summer is upon us and I am going to make it a priority to enjoy it as much as I can in a safe way and manner!