Once AP exam season has ended, many AP students are left with nothing to do. What could replace as much time and effort typically reserved for studying for APs?
Here is a list of activities that you can use to fill your post-AP life:
Visit Museums
There aren’t many local museums that you could check out, but LACMA and the Ghetty Center are only an hour’s drive away! If you want to try nearby places, the Huntington Beach Art Center has a good selection of art pieces. The Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana has one of the largest collections of non-Western art around.
Go to the beach
Go to the beach Beach season is approaching! Have a bonfire to celebrate the end of APs – or burn your review books. We won’t tell anyone if you don’t.
Pig out.
Have some savory gourmet waffles at Bruxies, or slurp up some ramen at Shin-Sen-Gumi. Go hit Old Vine Cafe, or Red Table Restaurants. Or get some delicious boba at Cha for Tea. The list of places to eat in Orange County are endless.
Go shopping.
We get it. You’re broke from paying for all those AP tests. That’s why you don’t go to the mall to buy, you go to window-shop! Or visit Anaheim GardenWalk, decorated with water fountains and pretty flowers, so you don’t feel TOO bad about not being able to buy things.
Get away from “city life.”
Get away from the rush and stress of the roads by going camping in the mountains or hiking at Bolsa Chica Wetlands. Drive to Riverside and witness the beautiful sunset behind the San Bernardino Mountains. Or, you could just go to a park, such as Huntington Beach Central Park (located behind HBPL) to enjoy activities such as golf, horseback riding, and even visit the Shipley Nature Center.
Work out.
With more time on your hands, there’s no excuse to not get yourself in shape. Join a gym or create your own workouts! Work out with friends for more motivation.
Throw a party.
Celebrate the end of studying with lots of food, music, and friends. You could even throw a baking party! That way, you can pig out and party.
Watch a movie.
If you’ve taken AP English, you’ve probably read The Great Gatsby. Why not watch the movie and critique all the parts they left out or added in?
Go on a date.
If you can’t get one, we can’t help you with that. A good date place is Orange Circle or Downtown Disney, which have swing dancing on the weekends. Or, try the Anaheim Garden walk – it’s lovely.
Go on a the ferry at Balboa Island, Newport Beach.
This is a place every person living in Southern California should go to at least once. Feel the rush of the wind and smell the sea air while you and your car ride along on a ferry, across the waters.
Don’t forget the most important activity: Wait for your AP scores! It’s going to be a long wait, friend. But at least in the meantime, you have plenty to do.
By Sadaf Qadir and Dorothy Nguyen
