With midterms in the rearview, finals in sight, and increasingly sunny days, summer is so close you can practically taste it! But as the pandemic persists, this summer might taste a little different than we had dreamt it would during last year’s lockdown. While this isn’t our first COVID-19 summer, it is important to remain respectful of the protocols in place and to listen to what our public-health advisors are telling us.  

However, one thing for certain is that after a year of powering through potential Zoom connection issues and braving breakout rooms, a summer of fun is in order! Depending on what stage of our province’s colour-coded lockdown plan we are in come June, here are some COVID-safe activities that I enjoyed last summer and ones I hope to try out this year.  

If you are anything like me and spent the majority of the year indoors leaning over a laptop, the outdoors are going to be your antidote to tech-neck! Tired of twiddling your thumbs with your family in the living room? Take family time outside! Nothing beats a scenic walk, with a stop for a sundae or a picnic in the park with your loved ones. 

Speaking of loved ones, dating during a pandemic can feel discouraging, especially when trying to plan dates for a new relationship. But it doesn’t have to be! Elevate your picnics in the park by packing playing cards. UNO is a great ice breaker and finding out whether or not they play a +2 on top of a +2 says a lot about their character. But if cards aren’t your thing, bring some paper and pencils to the park and have a socially-distanced drawing competition. Pick out a Bob Ross tutorial and follow along as you get to know one another!  

Or ditch the dates and play with your pals! The fresh air combined with friendly competition will ease any awkwardness with first dates or friends that you haven’t seen in a while and is sure to spark lively conversation.  

Had enough of being cooped up indoors with family or roommates and just looking to spend a quiet day out alone? Look no further! A friend of mine last year suggested the perfect plan for every introvert looking to treat themselves to a self-care day. If non-essential businesses such as bookshops and cafés are open come summertime, I suggest heading to your local coffee shop one sunny morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, and spending the day exploring various BMVs—Books, Music, Video stores—in the area. I promise you that browsing used books and reading is the remedy for skimming digital PDFs all year.  

Lastly, make even the most mundane activities fun this summer by punctuating weekly errands with warm weather and good music. Spotify allows members to create collaborative playlists with friends, so start up a feel-good playlist with your best buddies and have fun grooving down the arrowed grocery aisles.  

These are just a couple of ideas to get all of us excited for whatever summer 2021 brings. No matter what stage of lockdown we fall into come June, I hope these suggestions show you that this summer does not have to be a bummer. All you need to do is be safe, get creative, and have fun!