Whether you are recharging at home or outdoors, here are five ways to enjoy the season that also incorporate your passion for geology.
Enjoying geology and relaxing during the summer season can go hand-in-hand. Of course, a vacation provides the perfect opportunity to get outside and see what rocks and minerals you can find, but even a rainy summer storm can create ample opportunity to foster and share your love of all things geo.
These five activities combine geology and leisure and summarize and build upon by items previously featured in GeoLifestyle, AAPG’s e-newsletter covering how to incorporate geology into your daily life. Written by geology communicator Cate Larsen, GeoLifestyle is where geology meets food, travel, education, leisure and more. Become a subscriber at AAPG.org/Newsletters, then, see how many of these activities you and your fellow geo-enthusiasts can complete!
1. Do a Geology Craft
During summer storms, spend the day completing geo-centric crafts. You can knit a stuffed model of your favorite rock or mineral, or cross stitch or embroider a section of your favorite geological formation. Want to get the kids involved? Use Legos to create a 3-D model of their favorite volcano or mountain.
2. Paint or Draw Outdoors
Next time you take a hike or visit a National Park, bring along your sketchbook or paint set. You can set up camp – or just make yourself comfortable – near a geological element of interest and map out what you see with your brush or pencil. This makes for a great keepsake of adventures taken and memories made.
3. Get a Geology-Focused Spa Treatment
Use your knowledge of geology when scheduling a rejuvenating spa treatment. Choose a mineral or mud mask to leave skin feeling softer and fresher, a hot stone massage to help relax muscles, or a therapeutic bath soak to ease aches, inflammation and more.
4. Take an Online Geology Course
As long as you don’t put too much pressure on yourself, learning something new can be a great way to take your mind off the stresses of your day to day. Use your down time this summer to increase your geology knowledge. There are several companies that offer topic-specific certifications in geology that are largely self-guided. If more structure appeals to you, consider enrolling in a university course. Many schools have both online and in-person options.
5. Serve Your Community
Schedule time to speak to a group of students at a summer program, where you can share your love for geology and the outdoors. Hopefully, you’ll inspire the future generation! You can also coordinate with your local Scouts chapters to help out at an outdoors-focused activity or trip. You can even start a geology-focused book club with your peers or join a local environmental cleanup or conservation effort.