For those of you staying in Palo Alto this summer, do not despair; fun awaits you around every corner. Productivity and determination is the key to making your summer interesting right at home. Here are some ideas you can use this summer:

Watch movies nonstop:

Watch movies until your mind stagnates. Try movie rental services such as Netflix, Blockbuster Online and Intelliflix. Most of the time these services offer a free trial period, and you can choose to either continue or discontinue the service after the trial.

Learn something:

Get a start on next year’s subjects! Calculus, economics, physics or any other subject is no match for your super duper, intellectual boot camp summer! Or, take the time and learn something peculiar, exotic or unexpected. Take martial arts, learn to dance or even study a dead language like Latin.

Explore Palo Alto:

If you still can’t think of anything to do, you might as well go around Palo Alto and get familiar with your city. Local places to visit include Laser Quest and Stanford Mall. Places that are a bit further include Castro Street in Mountain View, Great America and Raging Waters. Sports lovers can go to a nearby gym to work out.

Arts and crafts:

Greet your artistic side. Paint art pieces, build sculptures—you can even make your own clothes or bags. Make a gift for someone special, perhaps a scrapbook for your own memories. Go to Joann’s Fabric and Craft Store located in San Antonio Shopping Center, where you can find the arts and crafts supplies you will need to make your summer extra creative. Crafts sold at Joann’s include: jewelry and beading, cake decorating, cross stitch and needlework, and wood crafts.

Write stories:

You can also use your summer to improve your writing skills. You may even decide to write your own novel or short story.

The first step to a great story is a great idea. Here’s a list of ideas and suggestions to help you start:

• Decide what genre you like. You will be comfortable writing what you usually enjoy reading.

• Take your own experiences and turn them into scripts.

Think about Juno’s script writer Diabolo Cody.

• Go wild with your idea. Make sure the structure is sound with a beginning, climax and end.

• Can your readers relate to the characters in your work?

• To effectively produce an original story, make sure to look for inspiration wherever you go. You may never know where your inspiration may come from.