20. Make a mix for someone you love.

‘Say it with flowers’ is outdated. And also difficult. Instead of tracking down a Victorian guide to floriography, why not say it with music? The task of making a mix for a loved one is not to be underestimated. It’s an art, and a balance needs to be found between the songs you like, the songs they like, the message or theme you’re trying to encompass and the way the songs sound together. But finally, after hours spent poring over the track-listing, you slip it out of your bag and give it to the person you went the extra distance for. And then go to bed and freak out about the Smiths track you picked (‘Oh god, what if they hate The Smiths? What if it’s too clichéd?!’).

Naysayers insist the romance of mixtapes has been lost now that they can be burnt, ripped and re-written. But on the flip-side, the era of CDs and downloads has made it easier than ever to find the right songs, and a CD case leaves a bigger canvas for you to really personalise the artwork. Click on the image above to be taken to a rad CD sleeve tutorial on Autostraddle.

19. Look around a local museum you always meant to visit.

Whether it be an art gallery, a natural history museum or an exhibition of movie props and costumes, the opportunities for spending a few hours looking quizzically at stuff and thinking ‘ooh, that’s interesting’ could not be more diverse. And though you may want to trek across the globe if the idea of visiting one particular museum grips you, you might be surprised by how many of these places you can find locally; many cities allow you free access to some museums on particular days if you are a resident, which is well worth taking advantage of.

18. Come up with a comeback.

Think of the last time you were caught off-guard by what someone said and then thought of a good comeback 10 mins later. Write it down and save it for a rainy day!

17. Listen to ‘Grace’ by Jeff Buckley.

Quite frankly, getting through your teen years without listening to any Jeff Buckley is shameful. He’s brilliant. But don’t just take it from me:

‘a pure drop in an ocean of noise’- Bono, U2.

‘one of my main vocal influences’- Matt Bellamy, Muse.

‘just wipes girls out’ – Graham Coxon, blur.

(Love that last one.) But don’t worry, I’m here to correct the situation! Do the right thing and listen to his one and only complete studio album, Grace. Luring us in with those deceptively simple first lines in ‘Mojo Pin’ (‘I’m lying in my bed, the blanket is warm’), Buckley pulls the rug out from under the listener and powers through into an album like no other, right through to the trippy closer, ‘Dream Brother’. Just try listening to his cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ without getting chills (go on, I dare you). Grace is a masterpiece and yes, it’s been said millions of times before, but it really does make you wonder what kind of music he’d be making if he were around today. Challenging Rihanna for the top spot? Probably not, but he’d still be hanging around, being generally awesome and showering us with his silky vocal stylings. Cheers, Jeff.

Listen below:

16. Watch ‘The Breakfast Club’.

The criminal. The athlete. The basketcase. The princess. The brain. These are the labels, but who are the people underneath? That’s what The Breakfast Club is all about. Five teens from different cliques are brought together for a Saturday detention in this 80s classic where, after initial hostility, they gradually break out of their images and bond over frank conversations and, er, weed. It’s an affecting look at social alienation, the generation gap and the emptiness of keeping up appearances. But the question is: will they acknowledge each other when school starts again on Monday?

15. Read ‘On the Road’.

‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac is a book documenting his travels around the US with his friends. When summed up in a line like that, it sounds pretty standard. But this book is anything but standard; based on his real-world travelling, it was written around 60 years ago as the defining book of The Beat Generation, characters burning with passion for drink, drugs and… literacy.

They embark on a mission to not only cross the country, but attempt to find meaning and belonging along the way. If you’re worried this sounds too high-minded and philosophical, you can relax: Kerouac writes in such a unique, grounded way that it’s a pleasure to read, and the abstract edge is not so overwhelming as to distract from the story itself. How Kerouac managed to write a good book in which every single character is a bit of an arsehole, I have no idea. But it’s commendable. And you should read it.

14. Try out origami.

So, if your primary school was anything like mine, you’re not a complete origami newbie. For those that are, origami is the name for the traditional art of folding paper into certain shapes, such as animals or decorations. Once you get the hang of it, it can be a pretty relaxing way to break up your day and de-stress; when you finish a piece, you’re left with the satisfying feeling of having solved a problem with something cool to show for it. With a few folds and a free afternoon you can be a lotus-folding pro and, if nothing else, can use it as a party trick to impress someone in a dull moment. And if you’re feeling up to it, you can always tackle that famous challenge of folding 1000 cranes for good luck- a Japanese legend promises that anyone finishing will be granted a wish by a crane*.

* No guarantees, ancient legends have the annoying tendency to not be true. That said, let me know if it does work!

13. Dress as a musician, actor or character for a day.

Now I know what you’re thinking: how am I supposed to walk into school dressed in a David Bowie onesie? Well, that would be awesome and I would love you forever for doing it, but that’s not really my point. I find that sometimes it’s fun to step outside myself and put on a hint of a persona for a day when I start to get trapped in my own ways and forget to see the bigger picture. That doesn’t mean throwing your personality out the window and tracking down a cocaine spoon, but it could mean deciding not to take crap from anyone, à la Beyoncé. The way you dress affects your confidence, so even wearing the smallest element of the character you’re putting on can change the way you feel- perhaps a Cleopatra flick of eyeliner if you’re going for Liz Taylor, or a little leather for a Buffy or P!nk look. Give it a go, if you’re brave enough!

12. Write a letter addressed to yourself.

It could be addressed to the you of a year today, 5 years today, a decade today. Whenever you like. The change between the you of the letter and the you of the letter-opener will be more dramatic and therefore more interesting to read as the age gap gets bigger, but bear in mind that saving a letter for ten years requires a lot of willpower! If you like, you could try writing a few letters at once to open at different times. What do you think you’ll be doing in a few years time? What are your hopes? Either seal it up with your name on the front and the opening date and hide it away, or use a website such as http://www.futureme.org (if you think you’ll still be using the same e-mail address!).

11. Listen to ‘The Color and the Shape’ by Foo Fighters.

Although The Color and the Shape was not the first album to be released under the Foo Fighters banner, it was essentially the group’s debut album- as Grohl wrote and performed most of their previous album alone- and is deemed by many Foo purists to be their best. It’s relatable and honest. It’s unpretentious. It’s deliberately eclectic. The album sandwiches slower, emotional ballads like Walking After You and February Stars between fast, aggressive songs like Monkey Wrench and My Poor Brain, as if to reflect the ups and downs of a confused head. Sort of like real life, right? It’s also the home of fan favourites My Hero, an anthem celebrating the everyman, and Everlong, a gut-wrenching song that I’m not gonna describe because either 1) you’ve heard it or 2) you’ll go and listen to it right now (there’s no 3rd option). The writing and recording of the album is a pretty interesting read too, if you’re into that kind of stuff- notoriously, Grohl re-recorded the drum tracks himself on most of the album without consulting the band’s actual drummer William Goldsmith, resulting in him leaving the band. Awkward.

You can listen to it here: