With summer right around the corner, many students are trying to find fun summer activities. Some will travel to foreign countries, others will get summer jobs, and some might even spend their entire summer lodged up in the mountains.

These are all amazing ways to spend our short summer months. However, a large majority of teens across the United States will spend their summer locked in their basement, in the dark, watching season after season of the newest hit TV show; only climbing the staircase for the occasional snack and meals.

I am here to say that this is a problem. We, as a teenage society, need to learn to put down the TV remote and pick up the outdoor gear. I know that everyone is guilty of watching entire seasons of their favorite TV show last weekend, so imagine what an entire summer of freedom will do to a person.

Now, I am not saying you should give away your television and cancel your subscription to Netflix this summer. I am just saying limit your TV time.

Living in Montana, we know that our warm summer months are limited. I know by the first of October, snow will have already made its unwelcomed appearance on our front lawns. So enjoy the warm months while you can.

The warm summer sun is something we can take advantage of. With daylight extending into late evenings we are able to stay outside even longer.

I hope that you will take this into consideration when planning out your summer. Summer vacation is to be enjoyed, not wasted away by the glowing screens of our televisions.

Take my advice. Turn off the TV, put down the television remote, and go outside and soak up the summer sun. I am sure you won’t regret it.