Summer break can be an overwhelming time for students in recovery. With summer comes more social outings and longer days that might bring struggles and temptations. However, summer break is also a great time to find new hobbies, passions, and activities that don’t include substances. Be prepared this summer- come up with a game plan for social events, balance your schedule, and pay attention to your emotions with HALT (hungry, angry, lonely, tired).
Here are some quick tips for maintaining your recovery this summer:
- Stay in touch with your recovery group! Whether it’s your home group or the Collegiate Recovery Community, keeping in touch with your recovery support group is an essential part of maintaining your recovery over breaks.
- Bring a designated friend with you to parties/events that will leave early with you, stay sober with you, or just provide general support to you in moments of pressure.
- Find sober friendly things to do in your town! Some ideas: research outdoor events, try new activities like rollerblading or paddle boarding, or learn how to practice mindfulness.
Summer break can be a great time to try new hobbies that you maybe would have never tried before. Bloomington has a ton to do all year round, but especially during the summertime! Check out these ideas of substance-free things to do if you’re staying in town this summer:
Nature Trails
Bloomington has so many beautiful walking and hiking trails. Just a short drive from campus is Griffy Lake and Brown County State Park- both of which have trails of varying lengths and abilities. Alltrails is a great resource for finding trails and hiking spots near you. It puts all of the information you need to know about the trail on one simple to access page. Check out their list of the 10 best trails and hikes in Bloomington here: https://www.alltrails.com/us/indiana/bloomington
Food Truck Fridays
Food Truck Fridays in Bloomington are always a good time! You can find a wide variety of food trucks, live music performances, art, and more every Friday from April through October, starting at 11:00 am and going until 9:00 pm. There is a brief period every Friday evening from 5:30-7:00pm where alcohol is served by select vendors and in designated areas- other than that this event is completely substance-free. More info here: https://www.visitbloomington.com/things-to-do/downtown/food-truck-friday/
Starlite Drive-In
The Starlite Drive-In is a must for Bloomington summers. Originally opened in 1955, the Starlite Drive-In is a great place to catch a movie and enjoy some snacks while also enjoying the outdoors. For more information and movie tickets check out their website here: http://www.starlitebloomington.com/index.html
There’s so much more that Bloomington has to offer in the summers, like weekly farmers markets, fishing holes, free festivals, and so many delicious ice cream shops. Research what your town has to offer and make the most out of your summer break! Maintaining your recovery will be made easier with a game plan.
The Collegiate Recovery Community is here to help you on your recovery journey. We provide support, sober events, and community resources to all IU students. We hold weekly support meetings in the spring and fall semesters.
Contact us at:
Phone: 812-856-3898
Email: crcs@indiana.edu
508 N. Fess
Bloomington, IN 47408
Me as a student would absoluty second this article. I just did my first trekking tour via https://mytrails.info/en/ and it was amazing. Yes, you can get very exhausted during your tour but it does so much for your mental state. Great article thanks.