You just got back from a family vacation. Your friends are all still out of town. It’s the middle of July, 120 degrees outside, and you find yourself so bored you’re actually looking forward to the start of school and even homework.

Never fear — there is a cure for the lazy, dog days of summer. There are countless activities available to keep you busy, having fun, and staying cool over those three long months of break.

If you’re not stuck in summer school or working 24/7, summer vacation can be a great opportunity to get things done with all that free time. How you spend your summer falls into one of the following categories: the active outdoor summer, the active indoor summer, the sedentary outdoor summer, and the sedentary indoor summer.

The active, outdoor summer

It’s hot outside, but it’s a dry heat. Maybe you want to enjoy that weather. Maybe you’ve got cabin fever and can’t stand to be cooped up at home any longer. Either way, summer in the desert doesn’t have to be enjoyed all at home.

-Join a sports team. One great thing about being off school is that you can play a sport without having to worry about it cutting into homework time. Going to practice offers a great opportunity to get exercise, socialize and do something fun. Going to the games offers a competition to strive for and even gives something for parents to do: watch you shine.

-Jump into the pool. To beat the heat, nothing’s better than a dip in a pool. Wet ’n’ Wild offers the same relief, though it may be cheaper to go a local recreation center. If you’ve got transportation, a day trip to Lake Mead can be a great way to have fun.

-Take a mini-vacation. If you get really bored, find out what all the tourists know and plan a mini vacation to … Las Vegas! You can spend the night at a local hotel with a couple of friends, get free pool access and see all the sites.

The active, indoor summer

While three months would be the perfect time to finally get your room in shape, an active, indoor summer doesn’t have to be indoors at home. The active, indoor summer involves anything from learning to helping to just doing something indoors — from getting a summer job at a place you enjoy, to taking a summer class for high school or for college, or even just for fun.

-Take a class. Ever wanted to learn ballet? Pottery? Underwater basket weaving (which is another great way to stay cool)? You can find all kinds of classes at your local recreation center, or you can start a hobby on your own. UNLV also offers summer classes from English to weight training, which are eligible to most teens with junior standing. The school district also offers a driver’s ed course over the summer since many schools don’t teach it during the regular school year. Got a little free time? Take your permit test. Learn to drive. Or if you already have your license, learn to drive better.

-Volunteer your time. Getting your wisdom teeth removed might take your mind off of the sun’s rays, but you might prefer something more along the lines of a nice air-conditioned hospital to volunteer in. Sure, it will help your résumé and college application, but it will be helping others with your free time no matter where you choose to volunteer. As with a summer job, you can choose the place that’s right for you.

-Party! Plan an indoor party. Give it a theme. Make it unique. It can be at home, at a café, at an arcade, or taken out to the Circus Circus AdventureDome theme park. The Fourth of July is a perfect excuse to have a get-together. But remember: fireworks are for outdoors.

The sedentary, outdoor summer

Sedentary basically means “not moving,” and you don’t have to move to keep entertained, especially if you’ve been working hard the whole school year and need some serious relaxation.

-Get a tan: Kick back, soak up the rays and get a healthy glow, but remember to be smart, use sunscreen and avoid the most brutal hours of sunlight.

-Read a book. Find your favorite shady spot, throw down a blanket and crack open that novel you never had time to read during school (you know you’ve been dying to finish the latest “Harry Potter” book).

-Make a movie: Borrow your parent’s camcorder, get your friends together, and exercise your creative talents with a movie to remember your summer break forever.

-Play with your little brother or sister. It doesn’t have to be strenuous, just a game of catch or a trip to the park. You’ll have fun reconnecting to them and to the little kid in you.

-Walk the dog. Maybe it’s not totally sedentary, but a nice, leisurely stroll with man’s best friend can be relaxing, especially if you do it at either early morning or evening when the weather will be coolest. To beat the heat, take Rover for a walk through sprinklers.

-Open a lemonade stand. Okay, so maybe this only works for 5-year-olds, but why not help a 5-year-old get some business experience? If you get the right permit, you can even arrange to sell food and drinks at sports games.

-Have a picnic. Invite all your friends or just someone you really, really like. It makes a fun and inexpensive date experience.

The sedentary, indoor summer

A lot easier than not moving outside is not moving inside — where there are beds and chairs and sofas. While you don’t want to become a lazy couch potato, some of the best things you can do over the summer include relaxing at home.

-Catch up on reruns. Now’s your chance to catch up on your favorite sitcoms you missed during school. Feel the nostalgia of old Nick at Night and TV Land shows. Get back into those “Full House” and “Boy Meets World” episodes you adored as a child. Invite your friends and host your own video marathons of Disney, Tim Burton movies, or season one of “Malcolm in the Middle.”

-Be a mall rat: Head to the mall to people-watch, munch on a pretzel, Build-a-Bear or get an aqua massage.

-Enter a contest. The anticipation of waiting for the results will give you something to look forward to during the summer. Go online and type “Contests” in a search engine, and the possibilities are endless. Somebody has to win these things, and it might just be you!

-Do something creative. Write a story. Paint a picture. Take some photos. Learn to play a musical instrument. Express your thoughts and feelings through your creative skills and have something to show for your summer.

All it takes is a little creativity to avoid summer boredom. In short, summer is long. It would be such a shame to waste that time in boredom just because you can’t think of something to do.

-Return to May 2004 Issue-