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Three months of summer sounds like a long time, but before you know it, it’s all flown by. So that you don’t find yourself wondering what you’ve done all summertime in March, try to be proactive to make the most of your summer. Suppose you organise your time well after blocking out those work or uni commitments. In that case, you should be left with a good chunk of free time for summer activities either with friends or by yourself. Summer in New Zealand is beautiful. Students have ample opportunities to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, have fun learning, and spend some quality time with friends and family. Here are some suggestions for productive and entertaining summer activities to help you make the most out of your summer.   Upskill Use your abundance of free time during the summer to acquire relevant skills which will strengthen your job applications and demonstrate enthusiasm for your industry. If there’s a skill that’s important for your field of work that you haven’t yet had a chance to dive into, summer can be a great chance to become more proficient at it. No matter what you’re looking to learn, there are numerous resources online (including some great free ones) that can help you learn almost anything you want. Depending on your field of study, you may want to try learning coding, website design, or relevant industry-standard software.  Focus on your hobbies or try some new ones Many students fall into the trap of only feeling productive when working or studying. However, you can be productive when working on a hobby for yourself. Summer is the perfect time to focus on other areas outside uni. This may even include hobbies you didn’t have the opportunity to try out during the semester. Some ideas to try include cooking, playing an instrument, crafting, or a new sport. Hobbies are a fun way to keep your brain active while on holiday. You might even end up incorporating your new hobby into a part of your life and routine. This will provide benefits during the summer by giving you an outlet to take breaks.   Catch up on summer reading It can be hard to set time aside for reading during the semester, making summertime the perfect time. To give yourself some direction, make yourself a summer reading list and try your best to stick to it to prove that you can follow through with your commitments. Reading non-fiction is a great way to expand your general knowledge and perspective. While reading fiction is a fun way to unwind and has also been shown to cultivate your empathy and imagination.   Explore your City Spend your summer in New Zealand as a tourist in your city. Get to know your city better by trying ‘tourist’ activities you’ve never done before. You can also research secret gems to visit in your city. You never know what you’ll5 find, and you may even find a new favourite regular hang out spot! Most cities also have plenty of free summer activities and events to make the most of. Enjoy the Outdoors Summer in New Zealand wouldn’t be complete without making the most of being outside and amongst nature. Take advantage of the beautiful weather by going on hikes and visiting the beach (which New Zealand has no shortage of). Think outside the box to find some outdoor activities that you’ll enjoy. If you’re not too keen on being active, there are plenty of great outdoor picnic spots. If you prefer to be out of the heat, stargazing during the summer is a treat too. The best part about the outdoors is that there are endless free summer activities for you to enjoy.   Focus on your health There’s always room for improvement when it comes to self-care, especially because students often neglect it during the semester. To help you get a healthy start to the year, pick an aspect of your health to focus on this summer – whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional. For example, you could focus on going on regular walks or jogs, trying a new form of exercise, journaling, or using a mental health app. For a sense of accomplishment, set mini-goals and celebrate each achievement.   Summertime in New Zealand usually goes by much faster than we expect or would like it to. Luckily, there’s still plenty of time left for you to make the most out of your summer and have a great holiday. We hope this article gave you some ideas on some fun, free summer activities to help you make the most of your summer. -  Wendy Xu , Nxtstep Content Writer