10 Things To Do This Summer

Summer has bloomed for us once again and luckily for me, I have more than a hundred and four days but a little less than five hundred to spend the whole summer away. So I have come up with a list of what I want to do and experience this summer.

1. Summer Classes. You might think summer is not the right time for books, homework, and tons of papers and reading assignments instead we should be frolicking in the beach, going on outdoor activities like mountain climbing or hiking, and doing extreme sports.

But I will be taking advanced units this summer so that I would have a lighter load in the next semester which I guess would be enough reason for my taking formal summer classes. Besides, we would still have two more months of summer left after our classes end so it is a good bargain in my opinion.

2. Blogging and Writing. I would continue to chronicle my daily adventures and experiences through blogging and perhaps even try to write some fiction in the process since I have wanted to put my imagination to the test and write my own story and poetry.

3.Travel to Foreign Lands. Since summer is extended this year, my mother started planning on whether to revisit Japan or to tour in Vietnam. Last year, we went to Singapore and it was such a blast that I am thrilled to travel around the world every year.

I can probably attribute this excitement for traveling to my interest in learning new cultures and meeting new people outside my own sphere of culture and tradition. I want to see the beautiful landmarks, heritage sites, and natural wonders of the world and document them. I want to explore the world.

4. Watch My Favorite Shows and Films. My schedule in the past months has been very hectic so I had no time to download some of the series that I have been closely following such as the recently ended How I Met Your Mother, The Walking Dead, The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, and even 7th Heaven which ended a few years ago but I would like to watch re-runs of it.

There are also some films that caught my attention and would like to watch this summer which mostly include those films nominated in the Academy Awards such as Her, American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave, and many more.

5. Practice Swimming. A few years back, I enrolled in a summer swimming class because my mother wanted my lungs to improve so that I can breathe easier and reduce the effects of asthma to them.

At first, it was difficult for me to stay under water and swim a full lap but I gradually improved and my lungs did too. Now, I would like to try swimming again and push myself to finish one whole lap without stopping for breaths. Plus, I might also try to learn some new strokes.

6. Learn Web Design and Programming. Along with my blogging, I also want to learn more on web design - HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript - and programming - Java, C, C++ - so that I can at least understand some of the more complex mechanisms and structures that form the backbone of most programs and websites.

In high school, we learned the basics of HTML, Java, and C but we never had enough time to go further than that so I would like to continue learning about them and gain more knowledge so that I can apply my own creativity to the sites I manage.

7. Join Chess Tournaments. I am a chess enthusiast and I want to become a master one day if God be willing so I have joined two tournaments previously which was an eye-opener for me because I became exposed to what real competitive over-the-board chess is like and how I have much to learn but I am willing to learn and I want to join more of these tournaments because I can gain experience from them and if I win, I can also receive a cash prize.

8. Practice Speaking French and Japanese. In high school, we also learned French and Japanese. We had a Japanese course for one year while we had the French course for two years and it was fun learning a new language but there was also some pressure and tension that might have hindered some of us from appreciating the language fully.

So now, I would also like to continue practicing on speaking these two languages (and maybe throw in some German and Spanish there too) because they can be useful skills to have especially in the future where our borders expand and interact with different people around the globe.

9. Read and Meditate on the Word of God. Since I became a Christian, my life has changed for the better and I have experienced the wonderful work of God in my life, in my family, and in the other aspects of my life like in academics, social life, and relationships.

I have learned a lot since then and have truly felt the presence of God guiding me along the way and showing me the right path. I have felt peace and joy that transcends all understanding.

I want to know more about God and I can do that by reading the Bible and praying so along with all the other things I would like to do this summer, growing spiritually and walking with Christ are my top priorities.

10. Share the Word and Encourage Others. Also, being a Christian means that it is our mission to share the Word and the gospel to as many people as we can especially those whom God has appointed for us to minister to.

I have also wanted to encourage others and to lend a helping hand whenever I can to show the kind of love that God has shown me throughout the different situations I faced in life.

I want to be able to share the lessons I have learned from God as I deal with daily struggles and problems especially with matters concerning faith, humility, and living a life of worship for God.

These are the things I would like to do this summer. How about you? What would you be doing this summer? Feel free to share them here :)