if this was my last week of freedom…

You may not have been paying attention. You may have been avoiding calendars altogether. You may have been praying the day would never come. Alas, the end is near: school is just a couple of short weeks away. With just a few more precious days of freedom left, now is not the time to stay home and play video games. Now is the time to act. Now is the time to get out of the house and live before spending your days inside, shackled to a desk and waiting for the final bell to ring. If this was my last week of freedom, here’s what I would do:

sleep until noon
Sleeping in is a blissful privilege of the young. Take advantage of it while you can! Some people may think it’s wasting your day, but don’t listen to them. They probably aren’t thinking clearly because they don’t get enough sleep. With several months of crack-of-dawn rising in your future, and even more once you reach adulthood, hibernate while you can. Just be sure to get to bed early the weekend before school starts so you’re body doesn’t hate you come Monday morning.

go to the beach
Maybe you’ve already spent all summer at the beach. Maybe not. Either way, pack your sunscreen and towel and get all your friends to meet you for one last day of basking in the sunshine and playing in the surf. You won’t get a chance to do something like this again for another year once teachers start giving out homework assignments!

take a road trip
A change of scenery can turn a boring summer into something to brag about once school starts. If you’ve been saving the money you’ve earned from your summer job, head down to Orlando and hit up one of the amusement parks. Broke or afraid of roller coasters? Head to Daytona or even St. Augustine with a group of friends and check out their beaches and shops. You don’t have to go very far or spend a lot of money to have a good time and make lasting memories.

have a movie marathon
Rent a bunch of good DVDs, pop a ton of popcorn and spend an entire day watching the movies you missed when they were in theaters. Or, better yet, head to the nearest theater and take in a double or triple-feature. Check out the movies everyone has been talking about so you’ll have an opinion when they come up at the lunch table.

get wet
This is completely separate from the beach for a reason. There’s a different atmosphere at a swimming pool or waterpark and you should experience it while the weather still allows. Adventure Landing has some great water park specials throughout the week so you’re guaranteed to have a good time on a small budget.

soak up some culture
It’s not a popular opinion among most young people, but museums are not all boring. Jacksonville has some great science and art museums that are both entertaining and interesting. In fact, MOSH, MOCA and the Cummer all have interactive exhibits and areas that let you get hands-on and creative. Spend a couple hours, or a whole day, exploring these educational but fun museums.

get active
And I do not mean go to the gym. Go old school and head to a skating rink like Skate Station, where they have terrific weekly specials for individuals and families. Or go to Jacksonville Ice for a cooler skating experience. If you prefer your feet stay on the ground, participate in a pick up soccer game at Klutho Park in Springfield on August 4th (for more info, visit sparcouncil.org). Get moving in a fun way and make new friends while you’re at it.

get some fresh air
Exploring the great outdoors has become a thing of the past for most kids. Take this last week to get back to the days when kids would spend all day playing outside and would resist when their parents called them in for dinner. Tree Hill Nature Center in Arlington is a wonderful place to remember how cool nature can be. With trails, live animals and a Florida Natural History Museum, there’s plenty to do and see.

the countdown has begun Here’s a list of fun events for all ages happening in the Jacksonville area between now and August 20th, the official first day of school:

August 4: Jacksonville Axemen vs. Jamaican Rugby League Team
at UNF Hodges Stadium- 5 pm- Info: http://www.jaxaxe.com

August 4-13: Florida Tax Free Shopping
Info: myflorida.com

August 8: An Inconvenient Truth
at MOCA Jacksonville- 7 pm- Info: (904) 366-6911

August 8-12: Jacksonville Suns vs. Carolina Mudcats
at Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville- Info: jaxsuns.com

August 12: Aly and AJ
at Times-Union Center
7:30 pm- Info: (904) 633-6110

August 14: Thomas and Friends Live!
at Times-Union Center
10:30 am and 7 pm- Info: (904) 633-6110

August 18: Dog Days of Summer
at MOSH
10 am- Info: themosh.org

August 18: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(preseason game)- 7:30 pm- Info: jaguars.com