In my last post I addressed the mounting menace of summer boredom. As students, we've been sensitized to have most all of our waking hours filled with essays, word problems, multiple-choice questions, and mountains of lazy equations who can't ever seem to figure out what their own stinking X equals. So when summer rolls around, the void of work that once seemed so inviting, is now an intimidating mass of time, that must be filled with as much fun as possible. Otherwise we'll feel like complete failures for wasting our three month jailbreak—err—seasonal repose. Plus, if we don't get anything done then our parents will feel vindicated that the only way to keep us from vegetating is with homework. Which may be perfectly true, but none of us are willing to admit it.
Anyway, last time I talked on end about how volunteering can be a fun and fulfilling way to keep yourself busy (if you haven't read that post, I strongly encourage it. It's great). Well, I'm sure it was fun and fulfilling for the first five minutes, but now I think it's time for something a little more stimulating.
EPISODE 2, Sports.
When I was little, I considered swinging on chandeliers the height of fun. But right when I would start to enjoy terrorizing the household, my mom's wildchild-detector would sound, resulting in her popping the backdoor open and chucking my rascally self outside. The comic strip Calvin and Hobbes portrays this anomaly with exceptional accuracy. For whatever reason, adults think "playing outside" is somehow more mentally beneficial than sitting in front of a monitor, or swinging on chandeliers, if you're still into that sort of thing, like me. Well, the sad truth is that my dear mother still has that radar. But now, instead of playing outside, I have to weed the flower bed, clean the car, or—gulp—mow the lawn. Volunteering for stuff may have saved you last month, but that was last month. It's time to readjust your strategy.
Sports are a great way to stay mentally and physically fit. All you need is a ball, an open field, a few friends, and you're cooking, literally. Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's kinda hot outside. So unless you're into purposefully slow-cooking yourself for the sake of exercise, frolicking around in triple digit heat may not be for you. Besides, sports are really kinda hard to do anyway. So, I instead propose a better idea, that will not only evade the brat-detector, but will also add a little something extra: The Summer Olympics!
Now, you may be thinking, "I thought he was going to push for a bit of leisurely, indoor exercise, not lying around like a bum watching sports." But, while that's an admirable notion, why play sports when you can watch other people play them twice as well as you could, all from the comfort of your living room? Plus, since it's the Olympics you can just claim you're learning about geography and history firsthand. No parent is ever going to argue with kids willingly doing school during summer, even if it involves sitting in front of a TV screen all day. Both sides win in this scenario. Too bad the Olympics don't start till the 27th.
In case this option isn't for you, I have another; one that actually involves movement other than operating a remote. No doubt you've heard a whole lot of to-do about the All-Star game here in Kansas City this summer. While this is kinda a big deal for the city, it does not change the fact that baseball is boring. I won't say any more lest I offend readers who have an affinity for our nation's pastime, but for those who have an affinity for our nation's sport, read on.
Every summer, our very own hometown football team holds training camp in St. Joseph. It used to be that one would have to travel all the way up to Wisconsin in order to see the Chiefs' practice. But two years ago they moved it back down again so more casual fans could go show their support for the team. So, even if you're not a big Chiefs fan (which I find quite preposterous by the way) it's well worth the somewhat short-ly-ish drive. Day practices are the way to go for people who want to see real practices, only if you can stand the heat that is. Normally the day practices have more authentic drills than the night practices, which are staged more for the larger crowds. After everyday practice, players stop by to give autographs and take pictures with fans, which is more than a good enough reason for me to stay during the entire practice. Other than the Family Fun night, the daily practices don't have a lot of fluff like vendors or games, so people who are a little less hardcore than me may want to stick with the Family night. Read the Chiefs Training Camp Schedule for information.
Camp starts on the 27th (same day as the Olympics) and lasts only slightly longer. So whether you feel like supporting your country by watching the Olympics or supporting your city by attending Chiefs' Training camp, you'll find a great way to spend the remainder of summer. What you do until they start is up to you. You could always read this blog a couple thousand times, learn a new musical instrument, and then write a book. That's what I'm planning to do.
So until next time: be awesome.
Josiah Bell, Teen Blogger