Beating the summer blues

Sian Elvin tells Lifestyle how to spice up the summer:

So the end of term has passed, you’ve left university for the comforts of home and after catching up with friends and family and getting around to finishing your unpacking at last, you find… that you’re bored. How on earth will you be able to fill an entire three months with, well, nothing, without going mad? Don’t worry, the Boar has the solution to save you from summer blues, no matter how much money you have.

Going out

Save: Grab an Entry Pass membership from the National Theatre, take a friend with you and get both of your tickets to the venue for only £12.50. Overlooking the Thames with fantastic architecture and design, and featuring a star-studded selection of shows over the summer including Othello, Romeo and Juliet and War Horse, you really won’t be disappointed in purchasing a £60 ticket for a mere £5!

Splurge: If you fancy treating a loved one, or indeed if you want to just give yourself a break, then head over to Champneys Spa for the day, or even for the weekend. The back massages and chocolate treatments are to die for and really will make you feel like you’re a million miles away from home or university. You know you’re tempted – give it a go.

Staying in

Save: Can’t afford to go on holiday? Never mind, create your own summer paradise at home! Fill a paddling pool, make your own ploughman’s with exotic fruit, look up cocktail recipes and relax in the sun with a good book on a deckchair. Ask your brother to bring you grapes for an added hotel-feeling.

Splurge: Make the most of staying in over the holiday and create the perfect summer body! Order yourself an exercise machine online and get working out. Everyone will be envious when you finally have the chance to show it off on the beach.

Festivals

Save: Want to go to a festival but don’t have the money to purchase a £200+ ticket? No problem, become a festival volunteer, only pay a deposit and work to see your favourite artists. Sure, you may miss a couple of the headliners, but you’ll get to see an awful lot of acts for nothing. Bestival’s line-up includes Elton John, Snoop Dogg, Bombay Bicycle Club and Jessie Ware amongst others, so get signing up for this fantastic opportunity!

Splurge: If you don’t want to bog yourself down in work over the summer and want to enjoy your festival properly and for what it is, then purchase yourself a Reading & Leeds ticket, as the line-up is fairly accessible whether you live in the north or the south of the country. The headliners include Green Day, Eminem and Biffy Clyro, and even the smaller acts are reliable performers. Don’t miss out.

Holidays

Save: When you know you don’t have much money but simply want to get away for a while, then check out these last-minute holiday deals, if you’re fine with going away within the next six weeks. Greece, Turkey and Spain are all very cheap and whether you’re interested in the party life or not, there is something out there for everyone if you’re prepared to trawl through and find the best deals.

Splurge: They call Egypt the ‘home of all-inclusive’, so it would be a little rude if you didn’t take them up on the offer. Stay in a luxurious hotel by the Red Sea, and you’ll not only have some amazing views but will have the opportunity to go snorkelling and see all the multicoloured fish. Visit one of the last remaining wonders of the world – the pyramids and the sphinx – and make sure you hang around in the evening for the light show over the pyramids for a truly unique experience.

Take note of this guide, and no doubt you’ll be in for a fabulous summer. Get planning and beat the summer blues!