It's okay to be bored this summer...

By: Sophia Wheway

If you’re anything like me, every time you open Instagram it’s just influencers living their best summer lives. Brand trips, yachts, four different holidays... and you’re just at home in bed scrolling. There’s this weird pressure around summer where it feels like it has to be the most exciting, busy, iconic few months of your life. But I’m here to say it doesn’t.

We spend the rest of the year doing the most. Uni, work, stress, deadlines. So why do we feel bad for actually slowing down when we finally get the chance? Not every summer needs to be packed. You’re allowed to rest.

It’s more than okay to have a “normal” summer. Staying in your hometown, working at your local coffee shop, going on a family holiday, or just chilling. And no, you do not need a massive friendship group and three trips lined up to be having a good time. Whether that’s your vibe or not, it’s so far from what most people’s summer actually looks like.

Some of the best memories come from the chillest things. Sunset walks, a random picnic in the park, deep chats in the car, cooking dinner with your mum. It doesn’t have to be glamorous to be special. And yeah, sometimes you’ll be bored. But being bored is actually kind of good. It gives you space to daydream, get creative, and just exist for a bit.

School’s out and for once you actually have time to do nothing. So enjoy it. Go on a walk, read that book, try a new recipe, rewatch your comfort show, make a random playlist. These little things can make your summer feel just as good as any big plan.

You might not be doing a high-flying internship or ticking off a bucket list of destinations, and that is honestly so fine. If your evenings look like pizza on the beach with your besties or watching Love Island with your mum, that’s a win.

Not every summer has to be a movie. Sometimes it’s just soft and slow and simple. And that’s more than enough.

You’re not missing out. You’re not behind. Your summer still matters, even if it’s not all over Instagram.