Small summer activities

This summer is going to be complicated. With all of the pools in the Twin Cities closed (maybe), and all the stores shut down (partially). We are going to have to find ways to keep ourselves occupied. So, for that reason I decided to come up with 6 fun ideas to try during our quarantined summer. 

1. Pen Pal

If you enjoy writing letters this is the activity for you. If you want to pursue this you’ll need to take the following steps.

  • First, you’ll want to find a friend to do this with either here in Minnesota or somewhere beyond that.
  • Then, you will want to make sure you have all the supplies necessary: stamps, envelopes, paper, and a writing utensil.
  • Lastly, you will want to set up a schedule based on distance and how often you want to update your pen pal. 

2. Chalk

Chalk is a very simple and fun way to pass the time. If you have sidewalk areas you can use, then take advantage of that space. You can draw elaborate murals or simple little designs.

All you need is chalk, which you can buy online, and sidewalk, which you can find outside. 

3. Science Experiments

This activity is a more difficult one to try because of all the materials you’ll need. There are hundreds of different science activities you could do. You could make your own ice cream, make slime, etc. 

4. Art

There is a lot you can do in this category and that’s why it’s so fun. You can draw, sketch, paint, color, etc. You can follow art tutorials or try and draw something nearby. You can use some of your old things to create a sculpture. 

5. Try Something New

Have you been staring at an old instrument in your house that you want to play? Look up how to play it and work towards that goal. Maybe you want to learn how to loom, or knit, or sew. Try it! It’s now or never.

This is the one summer where you get to do things that you can’t do next summer, or the year after that. You’re still young so embrace it! 

6. Learn to Do Something Cool

You want to learn something cool to show your friends the next time they see you? Do it! You can learn to do a cartwheel or a flip. Maybe you want to do a skateboard trick? Go ahead! Try your best! 

Always remember to be safe! Wear a helmet if you or a family member thinks it’s necessary. Don’t make unsafe choices. Be smart and be safe! 

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a 2005 animated series that’s made in the style of an anime. It features a kid named Aang, who is the Avatar of his world. The Avatar can bend all four elements (fire, water, earth, and air), and is destined to face the Fire Lord to end the war between nations.

I can honestly say that this show is one of the best animated series I have ever seen.

First, let’s get one thing straight: this is not a kid’s show.

The art style might make that a little hard to understand, but after watching it I can say that anyone, no matter their age, can find enjoyment from this show. There are no jokes that one particular generation wouldn’t understand because it takes place in a fictional world.

It also isn’t immature. Some of the lessons they learn throughout the show might be specifically designed to teach kids things, but they’re never as stupid as “sharing is caring” or whatever else you would see on Sesame Street.

The characters in Avatar are probably my favorite part of the show. Each one is unique, and the cast of characters they meet throughout the show is so diverse there is someone you can find yourself in.

Aang is the Avatar, so holds a lot of responsibility on his shoulder, especially with the guilt of leaving his tribe 100 years before the story starts.

Katara wants to be a water bender to avenge her mother, but feels she’s not good enough after seeing Aang water bend so easily.

Sokka, Katara’s brother, doesn’t know how to bend, and often feels out of place in the group, and makes up for it with jokes and humor.

That’s just the main cast; almost every side character introduced has some sort of character development. Even Prince Zuko, one of the main villains of the series, has one of the most relatable stories, and his character arc is amazing.

Image taken from: https://www.liveabout.com/how-did-avatar-aang-die-136592

The world is also amazing. Everyone is split into four tribes, either: water, fire, earth, or air. Each tribe can bend that particular element, so water tribe people can make water float and splash out in their opponents faces.

The way they bend is through martial arts, and they even had a martial arts and cultural advisor present when making this show, so every movement in the show looks authentic. Bending in their world is used in a natural way, like earth benders making trains that are powered by earth bending, and water benders living in a Venice-style landscape because they can control their boats with water bending. This makes the world seem real because they are simply doing what people do when given the opportunity to do something.

Some things I don’t like about the show is its pacing. Season 1 is pretty slow and has a number of filler episodes as they travel north. However, the show is written well enough so that it doesn’t get boring. In fact, many of the characters in these filler episodes come back later in the show, so I wouldn’t recommend skipping any of them on a first viewing. This problem is pretty much just in season 1; once you get into season 2, it starts to get really good.

My final rating for this show is a 10/10. 

The Mandela effect

The Mandela effect is when a large group of people believe something happened differently than the actual way it happened, or when they think an event happened when it did not.

Several people think the Mandela effect is proof of the world going into an alternate dimension, while scientists believe that it’s proof of how imperfect and dotted our memory can be.

There are multiple examples of the Mandela effect happening. 

The Mandela effect started, and got its name, when Fiona Broome, a self-identified “paranormal consultant” remembers Nelson Mandela dying in the 1980s. Nelson Mandela lived until the year 2013. Fiona Broome remembers the news covering his death and his widow giving a speech. Which, none of it happened. Later, it was found out that multiple other people had the same thought as her and remembered the same things.

The Mandela effect happens because it’s said to be false collective memories. Those false collective memories are then spread amongst a large group of people. Although those “false” memories could also be real, and as you remember, it’s believed that the world goes into parallel universes. So, whatever you remember could be correct but in another dimension.

There are multiple examples of the Mandela effect.

A very common one was where people remember the Berenstain Bears as the Berenstein Bears. It was believed that it was Berenstein Bears and people have evidence of it.

Another example comes from Star Wars. It was thought that Darth Vader said to Luke, “Luke, I am your father.” In reality it’s “I am your father.”

The last one is where people remember the Monopoly man and how he had his monocle. It turns out, he never had one.