During those dog days of summer when your parents are at work, your friends are on vacation, but you are still in town, bored out of your mind, what do you do? Try some of these ideas, or get creative and come up with your own.

You can pretend you are still in elementary school, a simpler time for all of us. Turn on your sprinkler, put on your goggles, and run around your backyard in the 100 degree heat. This is a chance to get in your swim suit, get outside, and not be judged by the annoying lifeguards at your pool.

 If you are not feeling like going outside, then you can always close all of your blinds, turn your lights off, and watch a Disney movie from Netflix with all of your snacks. By closing the blinds, you ensure that no one is looking in on you pretending to be in a movie theater, even though you will probably watch the movie on your laptop.

 Not in the mood to be lazy, and sit in the dark all day? Go and work out! Working out releases endorphins, which make you feel happier, more confident, and ready to take on the world. Now, I know this sounds like a lame idea, but you know the grind does not stop, not even over summer break. So stay on your grind and go to the gym to work on your fitness.

 Another thing to do outside if you want to enjoy the 100 degree heat is to listen to music on your porch. The twist? Fill up a spray bottle with ice cold water so that when you feel overheated, just whip that bad boy out, and pretend that you are in a glamorous fashion show when you spritz yourself with that icy cold water.

 Are you are missing your friends while they are on their amazing vacation? You can do a refreshing face mask and then FaceTime or Skype your friend on vacation with lots of questions about what they are doing. This way, you can live vicariously through them, while also acting like you care about their well-being.

 With all of you new free time, you can learn how to do something you have always wanted to do, like underwater basket weaving. This is a fun activity that you can accomplish underwater, effectively beating the summer heat. It is also a great way to keep your fingers busy and take your mind off of all of your summer assignments that you will not complete until the day before school starts.

 Freshman Michael Stone said one thing he likes to do is “go on a cruise to any Caribbean island and snorkel in the clear water. It makes me feel so refreshed, and watch all the life go on around me. Or, you could just fill up a kiddie pool in your backyard and look at the fish printed on the bottom of that pool.”

 These are just some ideas to get your own creative juices flowing. When your friends are out of town, no one can judge you, so just go out (or stay in) and have fun by yourself! Share your own ideas with the Cat Talk at: #JustMHSSummerThings