In less than a month, Mayo High School students will be released into the wonders of summer vacation. Some may choose to use their newfound freedom to sleep, others may choose to travel, and some students may put more time into discovering their surroundings. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to explore all of your options and have an excellent summer!

Stay at home.
Vacations are long, and sometimes you have to stay at home. Take advantage of the peace and quiet, and the relaxed pace.  One idea is to read books. Just go to the library and take some books you’ve always wanted to read, or choose some new ones that look interesting to you. If reading isn’t your top choice of entertainment, now is also a great chance to catch up on those movies or TV shows you meant to watch during the school year.
Don’t spend as much time online. During the school year students spend much of their free time playing video games, looking through social media or sending messages. Take the chance and start an activity you have never tried before such as cooking, painting, knitting, etc or retake an old hobby you’ve left behind some time ago and you miss it.
If you feel like you have a lot of time you should try looking for a part time job and/or volunteering. Working somewhere will give you experience and money that you could save for pretty much anything.  In fact, if you like to travel, you can spend it at the end of your vacations (or next year) for travelling. Volunteering is also a good idea. You get to meet new people and help your community.

Discover Minnesota.
Minnesota is always a good option. There is a lot of history in the towns, lots of state parks and of course; the Twin Cities.
Just taking a week and going up to the North Shore will make you fall in love with the great view it offers.
Another option is visit all the museums and history that Minnesota offers, the options are many: history, science, art, etc. Additional options include the Mall of America and the Minnesota Zoo. You can also enjoy watching sports in every city.

Discover the U.S.
The United States is a beautiful country. In addition, is huge. Not many people have visited all 50 states.  This spans  from hiking places such as national parks to enormous world-cities like New York, Miami and Los Angeles. You only have to take your car and some friends and you are settled for one of the best trips of your life.

Discover the world.
If given the opportunity, take it.  Travelling outside of the country is more than just going to the beach, the mountains or to visit a famous city. It’s about opening your mind. Observing other cultures makes you grow as a person. It makes you notice things you love about your country and things you wish that would change.
You can choose if you want to go for a nice view, a colder -or even warmer- weather, an historical place, an exotic place… There are thousands of options, but here are some ideas:

• If you go to South America and Central America, is not going to be as hot as it usually is. How? Because it’s winter there. However, it would have days that are warm enough to wear summer clothes. Of course, it depends on the region. If you go to Colombia is going to be really hot. But if you go to the Patagonia, is going to be snowy. Temperatures can variate between 95F to 0F.
• If you go to Europe or Asia over-90F-weather you should avoid the South of it. However, if you want to enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean Beaches this is the perfect time.

Of course these are not the only places you can go. You have more continents and more destinations.

It is important that you remember that you don’t need a ton of money for travelling. Nowadays you have several options that are pocket-friendly. For example, most countries have wonderful public transportation that allows you to move from place to place for cents. You can always stay at

hostels or campings and eat food from the streets -that actually, most of it it’s traditional food!-.
No matter where your summer takes you, make sure to make some excellent memories, take some great pictures, and have fun!