We are counting down the weeks before the summer season comes to an end. If you feel like the time has just flown by so fast and you didn’t get a chance to live those summer days you imagined, worry not! I have made a list of things that will help make your last days of summer feel meaningful and productive.

• First, plan to go on a picnic with a loved one. Be creative and bring some cool snacks, find new game ideas and work on a beautiful setup for your outing. This will be an opportunity for you to spend quality time with your friends, take some good pictures and enjoy the sunshine while also catching up on what’s been going on in your lives lately. This could also be a good content idea for your social media.

• Go fruit picking. Summer is a perfect season when a lot of fruits and flowers are growing. Going with your friends and taking pictures while doing that will give you memories to always cherish.

• Find a good spot to watch the sunset. You may have hills, parks or a water body in your area. Do a little research and find a good place that will allow you to enjoy the best views of the sunset. And guess what? you might meet new friends to watch sunsets with.

• Take a walk somewhere around your neighborhood. Enjoy the sunshine, listen to your favorite playlist if you feel like it, and appreciate the beauty of nature around you while stretching your body. Plan to not stay in your house the whole day. You might get surprised by how many cool locations you will discover in your neighborhood just by having that nice peaceful walk .

• Reach out to your loved ones, your old friends and relatives. When classes start, you will be completely immersed in school work and will barely have time to connect with your loved ones. So this is a good time to show how much you care about them. Maybe go on a date, visit them or just make a simple phone call. I promise you these gestures will go a long way to strengthen your relationship.

• Exercise more. Enjoy the last days of summer by getting outside to exercise. Feel proud of your body enjoying the weather as we transition into fall. light exercise is good for you, so start little by little and enjoy the outdoors. Working out is also a good way to help you stay disciplined and motivated.

• Find events and places to volunteer. This is a perfect way to connect with people and create meaningful networks. Don’t forget that you are also doing something meaningful for your community that will always make you proud.

• Try something new/learn a new skill. A lot of students tend to think that long breaks are just for relaxing and getting caught up on Netflix without thinking about anything else. I get it, you have been waiting to wake up late without stressing about 9 a.m. classes. But whenever you are up, think of your free time as an opportunity to explore yourself and learn. You can play an instrument, find a sport you might like, or even take a free course online that will help you ace your classes next semester. My point is to be productive, go out there and explore what will benefit you in the long term.

• Find a good self-help book to read. This is an opportunity to minimize that screen time, take your mind away from social media distractions for a while and gain a peaceful moment for yourself. Now when you come back to school the knowledge you acquired from that book you enjoyed reading will help you stay motivated, organized, and energized to transform this next semester.

• Go winter clothes shopping. Funny idea isn’t it? But believe me, prices are surprisingly low when you shop early for a specific season. It will also help you get prepared for fall semester and do the shopping when you mostly have enough free time.

Whatever you decide to do, it’s never too late. But don’t waste your time — start now.

Even though each season has its own charms, summer has a broad range of “fun” options and a unique way of making every moment lively and mesmerizing. Make sure to fully enjoy your last days of summer and make memories that will vividly live in your heart forever.

Don’t forget to put on your sunscreen while you are out. Enjoy your summer Knights!

A few links you should check out if you are in Erie this summer:

• Erie sunsets locations

• Events at Perry Square Park almost every day. Events calendar here

• Cool picnic spots Presque isle picnic areas

• And as always check out Gannon socials to find everything happening on campus!