Yap yap introduction (you know how it goes).
Summer is the time where suddenly you are not on a schedule anymore, when, unless you stuffed it with travels, any day can turn into amazing memories or just stay another quiet day. And sometimes, after a week of quiet, you are unsure of what to do now.
In that case, step 1 (optional): call a friend, step 2: choose something from the list below!
Literally the coolest thing you can do is make ice cream. It is ridiculous how easy it is to make it yourself and don't worry, it is not your fault for not knowing how to participate in the greatest human invention since the hotdog. Remember, Big Ice Cream is evil and they will get what they deserve. Which is definitely not my home-made chocolate and raspberry jam gelato.
My fellow mates can try to sell any and all activities to you and your posse, but consider this: have you ever in your lifetime partaken in an activity that couldn't have been dazzled up with a little ice cream? I can recite all 341 ice creams I have enjoyed in my life and my only regret is that I haven't had more. There is no good day without ice cream and if you don't have ice cream it should be because you already ate some.
Point is, whatever you plan to do this summer, make it better with some ice cream, and even better, make it yourself. Put a little heart in those tempered eggs, sprinkle some love on there and churn some memories into the best memories. :)
Written by Dorian Sousa Calvo
Imagine this: you wake up on a summer day and don't have a single thing to do. You finished the book you were reading or the series you were watching, you have no crafting projects and no plans with friends… everything is suddenly very calm and quiet.
The weather outside is beautiful, your favourite weather. So why sit at home with nothing to do? Things don't have to go according to plan, so why not go on a spontaneous adventure, in the spirit of Snufkin?
Grab a bag, pack some sandwiches, a book or maybe even a sketchbook. Go for a walk and catch a bus or a train – whichever arrives – get off at a random stop, the one that calls out to you, maybe you see a castle out of the window, or a beautiful terrace of a coffee shop or a lake, or simply a place that you pass and think 'oh, what if that was my stop' (like on a long journey by train, you pass so many stops and wander, what is beyond the station).
Explore the place, find a cool spot only you know about, ask strangers for directions, make some completely unrealistic sketches of the pretty buildings or nature, read a book on a random bench in a park!
In a world where everything is planned, take a day off, get away from all the usual surroundings and people and go on a silly little adventure.
Written by Masha Mazeina
We have had two successful brat summers now. Good job everyone, so proud of you. Let's keep the ball rolling, expand and innovate on the foundations of what it means to have a brat summer.
I personally will be writing my vision in the stars, one brat at a time. Lots of brats, metts, mergs, grills – drooling just thinking about it.
I hereby pledge the innovations I will be targeting: I want to eat more brats than last year, soak more sun than last year with every bite, and, of course, chase each of them with brewskis colder than the previous. For what is a brat summer, if you aren’t with your friends, nursing cold ones, passing the whimsy clockwise.
Written by Umut Ucak
Northern Luxembourg, ahhh, that faraway land where no one dares to venture! And yet: the trip is free, there are princess castles, cookies to die for, and did I mention that the trip is FREE!? Last summer, like a good tourist, I went to visit Vianden Castle – okay maybe not the most unexpected destination in Luxembourg, but how many of you have actually been there?
Hmm, just as I thought.
I was feeling a bit down last summer; I was breaking up with my ex and needed a change of scenery on a budget. So, I checked the route on Mobilitéit (look at me, so integrated into the land of Gromperekichelcher), bought my little tomato rolls at Cactus near the station, and hopped on three different buses heading to Vianden.
On the bus, I was with other tourists from all over the world, probably on a tour of Europe; like them, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived in the little town of Vianden, I felt like I'd been teleported back two centuries.
The castle towers over the hill; I had to crane my neck to catch a glimpse of it, and I told myself how lucky I was to live in this country! Anyway, I got off the bus, took a quick tour, and took all the time in the world to read every sign because I’m too cheap to buy the audio guide.
When I was done with my tour, I strolled down the main street and stumbled upon the cutest café: Colette Coffee. It cost a fortune, but I’ll tell you, I ate the best sea salt chocolate cookie of my life, miam miam miam.
To top it all off, I literally walked through a campground to dip my feet in the Our river alongside some fishermen. It was really nice, and I highly recommend this little solo trip to clear your head!
Written by Chloé Lemonnier
There was once a person, sitting in their room, looking at the ceiling in boredom. Suddenly, a light clicked and they got the best idea to spend their afternoon with. So they started to get prepared, packing their bag with nourishing food, noodle salad and homemade brownies.
However, since going on an adventure alone seemed like a perilous thing to do, they went to grab a few friends to share the trip with. Equipped and hydrated, they went to the first bus stop that took them the nearest to Mertzig, Gemeng, from where they started hiking.
Accompanied by their courageous doggy companion, the march went further along the roads by the fields into the mossy forest. Summer warmth streamed through their branches and the road was clear and structured, no need for a map.
Time seemed to pass fast, laughter and stories were shared when they finally arrived.
In the middle of a small lake, grows amidst the high trees a small little castle right from a fairytale book. Surely they couldn’t enter it, since it was private grounds, but that didn’t hold them back to relax for a bit on a bench and simply admire the beauty of it.
Food has been shared, canned fish with sauce on bread have been approved and everyone was happy to feel the sunrays warm them up.
And can you imagine the memories that are still living inside of their heads after this? And the costs were near to zero since it only has been spent on preparing the delicious picnic.
So, if you ever feel bored, grab someone or even go on your own to spend time beside the lake of the faery Turelbaach castle.
Written by Lara Seyler Schmit
Ok, this will sound like a boring or generic answer to everyone, but I need you to understand that boring does not equal bad. Call up your friends and/or family and ask them if they want to partake in a nice game of badminton at Kockelscheuer.
Now, you might think to yourself "Badminton? Of all sports?”, to which I reply “Yes. Badminton.”
Unlike football or basketball, it’s the perfect sport with the lowest skill entry level, the sport that literally anyone can get into even if they haven’t picked up a single ball in their life, the one where the only people that refuse to play badminton are the ones that come up with the weirdest excuses to not have to go outside.
Fortunately for you, the fact that you’re a ROUX enjoyer means you are the coolest person in your classroom, meaning that this doesn’t apply to you…. right?
Anyways, grab the silly looking stick, the silly looking ball, and just go have fun. Play it casually with your girl/boyfriend, discuss pointless topics with the homies while swinging around, have the most intense game to the DEATH with your best friend, or go make friends with the people playing next to you – my goodness, the possibilities are limitless!
Get out there and get active!
Written by Bill Syla
ROUX Student Magazine is a student club at the University of Luxembourg. Everything in the magazine is 100% made by students for students and now for you :). The article you just read was featured in our Issue 30. You can find all issues digitally or grab the newest one for free physically in our monthly publication events. Contact us on Instagram: @roux.magazine or email us on paper.roux@gmail.com.
