Extreme sports are the perfect activity for any adventurous teen. Not only do they help keep you healthy, stress free, and confident, but as long as you stay safe and take precautions when participating, they can also help you see the world, bring you closer to nature, and allow you to join a community of other adventurous people from all walks of life. Here are four of the many extreme sports you should consider trying at least once.

Mountain Biking
Mountain biking allows you to travel farther and discover more than you ever could on foot. Trails, beaches, streams, mountains, and pretty much any other terrain you can imagine, a mountain bike can take you there while allowing your inner explorer to run (or bike) free.

Surfing
Surfing has a reputation of being a relaxing sunny day activity, when in reality it’s anything but. Hawaii, California, and Australia aren’t the only places you’ll find surfers, look on almost any coast, warm or cold, rain or shine, and surfers will be swimming out from the comforts of land and into the ocean surf. Surfing can be a grueling activity, pitting you against the constantly changing waves of the ocean as you balance and react to every height and directional change of the water. However, if you can master your body and board while gliding on top of the salty ocean waves, it’s a feeling like no other, and definitely worth the hard path to serenity.

Snowkiting
Snowkiting is a relatively new extreme sport, having started in the second half of the 20th century, and only really taking off in the 21st. A combination of kiteboarding and snowboarding/skiing, snowkiting is a snow-based sport that allows you to ski or snowboard along almost any snow-covered terrain, attached and propelled along by a specially-built kite flying in the air. While traditional downhill winter sports only allow you to travel in one direction, snowkiting allows you to go downhill, uphill, or along the ground with no hill at all. Some people may stay inside on a windy winter’s day, but snowkiting allows you to enjoy the weather as you surf and glide along the glistening snow-covered land. This is a sport that you can brag about without end – so long as you can master it!

Rock Climbing
The risks in rock climbing can be high, which is why it’s always recommended (like with all the other sports listed), to learn and follow all the rules and techniques before embarking out on any climbing adventures. That being said, there are several different types of rock climbing you can try, from roped indoor walls and bouldering, to more extreme climbing on ice and mountains. The satisfaction and confidence you’ll gain from going out and climbing whatever goal you set for yourself can equal or exceed the breathtaking views you’ll have, as you stand high atop recently climbed landscapes, looking out at the world from a point only a select few ever see. And you’ll be doing it before you even hit 20!

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Contributed by Alex Anderson

The summer after you graduate high school is a very special time. You’ve closed one chapter of your life, and you’re about to embark on the next—college. Many teens are so happy to finally have some time off that they just want to sleep or veg out for the summer. But, trust me, if you do that, you’ll regret it.

Take my advice, and make the most out of your summer, because once college starts, your life will be dedicated to school once again. Here are some fun ideas for your first summer before college!

1. Spend Quality Time With Friends And Family

If you’re going away to college, then the next time your friends and family will be all be together again probably won’t be until Thanksgiving, or even Christmas. So use this summer to pack in some quality time with the people you care about the most.

2. Travel Abroad

There are lots of programs out there that are designed specifically for teens and college students. If you’ve always wanted to travel abroad, but never had the time to actually do it, then the summer before college is the perfect time to take that journey.

3. Volunteer

Whether you volunteer for a local charity in your hometown, or a cause in another country, you’ll be fulfilled knowing that you volunteered your time and efforts to helping others.

4. Take Short Trips

Short trips are awesome because they don’t take a whole lot of planning, and the travel expenses are minimal compared to long vacations. So if there’s a city or landmark within a few hours of your house, then gather up some friends and go for a day trip.

5. Be Spontaneous

Spontaneity and summertime are one in the same, because the weather is nice, and there are always new and fun activities to try. You should certainly take advantage of this before you have to buckle down and hit the books in the fall.

There are tons of different things you can do the summer before college, but the most important thing to remember is that this time is precious and you don’t want to waste it. So get out there and have some fun—you’ll be so glad you did!

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Contributed by Ashley Welter

Sometimes it gets old having chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas twice a week for dinner. Well here are some new ideas to try for next time – only if you’re willing. Teens can cook! We promise (even if it’s easier just to hit up Chipotle for the hundredth time, these items will be worth your while).

Spaghetti Taco
We’ve all heard of spaghetti and tacos, but what about the combination? Nothing sounds better than spaghetti you can eat with your hands and the crunchiness of tacos. Add some hot sauce or Siracha to spice things up!

Mac and Cheese Pizza
Pizza is perfect how it is, but pizza with even more cheese sounds better! Make a batch of your favorite mac and cheese and place it on top of the pizza, then put the pizza in the oven. That is cheesy goodness! Why doesn’t Little Caesears sell this?! Or any popular pizza place for that matter? These are important life questions we must address.

Cola Drumsticks
Soda and drumsticks combined? Cool! Instead of using the typical sauces on meat, mix it up with your favorite cola product (Coke/Pepsi/generic… doesn’t matter). Who said meat couldn’t be sweet?

PB&J Dog
Everyone loves a good old-fashioned PB&J, but what about with a hot dog inside? Yep, that’s right! Take that hot dog bun, slap a layer of peanut butter on each side followed by jelly, place your hot dog inside and there you have it. Add some banana slices too if you’re looking for a twist.

Peanut Butter and Mayo Sandwich
Maybe you don’t like jelly or the PB&J dog mentioned earlier isn’t for you. Well this is! Replace the jelly in a PB&J with mayo and there you have it. Sweet and salty!

Doughnut Burger
Most have seen this food item before, whether Snapchated or talked about amongst friends. But hey, if it’s that popular it must be that good! Instead of using regular hamburger buns, cut a doughnut in half and use each side! Maybe you like sprinkled donuts or maple bars; either of those will work too! Let your imagination run wild!

Popcorn Cereal
Take that hot bag of popcorn out of the microwave, pour in a bowl, and add your favorite milk. Try mixing it up by getting caramel popcorn or chocolate milk, whichever is your favorite. Try eating this for breakfast instead of your typical cereal (just try not to eat this more than once a month – at least if you’re trying to stay fit).

Grapes and Ranch
If you’re a ranch lover then this one is for you! Pour some ranch on a plate and dip those grapes into it. Or if you really love ranch, just pour it in a bowl, throw the grapes inside and spoon them out.

Nutella Fries
Fries and Nutella are easily devoured on their own. So why not dip your fries into Nutella? You’ll get a sweet salty taste and have both of your favorite snacks in one. Just try to leave some Nutella for your friends to dip their fries into too (or they may get hangry watching you with your food).

Icing Dip
If you’re looking for a sweet alternative to hummus then this is it. Icing dip is just icing, but dip-able. Dip cookies, candy bars, or even carrot sticks (if you want to be at least the tiniest bit healthy) into the dip.

Cheesy Brownies
This doesn’t seem like it would taste good but it really does. Crunchy brownie ends with gooey cheese inside. Chocolate and cheese lovers unite!

Candy Sushi
Sushi is always delicious, so why not follow up the usual sushi with candy sushi! Just take those sour candy strips and wrap Swedish Fish, Skittles, or Reese’s inside to curb your chocolate sweet tooth. Talk about a quick and tasty dessert!

Olive Oil Ice Cream
This sounds weird but it is definitely worth a try. Spoon out some ice cream; pour olive oil on top and mix. The oil makes the ice cream creamier and the flavor ten times stronger!

Olive Candy Bar
Just like grapes and ranch, this is a great snack. Melt some chocolate in the microwave and throw some sliced olives in. Refrigerate it for several hours and then take it out to eat. You’ll have a chocolate olive candy bar! If olives aren’t your thing, then try sliced pickles instead. The more people you gross out, the more that’s left for you to enjoy (because you know all the tasty secrets).

Cookie Monster
This brings frappes and milkshakes to a new level. Take your favorite flavor of ice cream, and add ice and Oreo cookies. Blend it together and you will have one sugar rush!

Avocado Coffee
If you don’t want as much sugar as the cookie monster, then try the avocado coffee. Take some freshly made coffee and blend it with an avocado for a frappe texture, coffee taste, and healthy alternative that will impress your parents or older siblings.

 

Do you have ideas for crazy bold foods you think everyone should try? Share them with us in the comments below!

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Contributed by Samantha Watkins

There’s a famous quote by Neale Donald Walsch that every teen should pay attention to. He says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,” and let me tell you, he is so right. When you’re in middle school, high school, and even college, it can be really easy to get comfortable with life, especially if life is going well.

But, you should never get too comfortable, because there is a whole world of people, places, and new experiences that you’ll miss out on if you don’t jump out of that comfort zone. Here are seven amazing ways teens can do just that!

1. Start a Blog

It’s no secret that teens are super opinionated. Sometimes that’s good, and sometimes it can get you into trouble, but either way, sharing your thoughts is great because if you’re thinking or feeling something, I can guarantee that there are others out there who feel the same way or have had similar experiences. Starting a blog is a great way to foster an online community, and connect with people around the world who you otherwise may never have met.

2. Play a New Sport

Maybe you already play sports, which means you have your go-to sport that you’re really good at. But there are lots of other sports out there, and learning a new sport is super fun and it’s great exercise too. Sure, it can be embarrassing at first when you have no clue what the heck you’re doing, but fear of “not being good at something” should never stop you from trying.

3. Take a Fun Class

When it comes to elective classes, the trend is to take whatever classes your besties are taking so that you can all be together. But you see your friends all the time, so why not take a class that you normally wouldn’t—like cooking, woodshop, or painting? It’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone because it forces you to start from scratch. Your friends aren’t in class with you, and you’re not familiar with the subject matter, so chances are you’ll make new friends, and you might even discover a new passion!

4. Travel

Traveling is one of, if not the absolute best ways to get out of your comfort zone because when you leave home base and visit an unfamiliar place, everything is new. New surroundings, new culture, new people, and maybe even a new language if you’re traveling abroad. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or a study abroad program, the experiences you gain on your trip will change your outlook on life and they’ll resonate with you long after you return home.

5. Volunteer

Volunteering is also a really awesome way to get out of your comfort zone while also dedicating your time to helping others. No matter where you live, there are surely a ton of volunteer opportunities nearby. You could give some of your time to tutoring elementary school kids, coaching a sports team for underprivileged kids, helping the local homeless community, and much more. Seriously, the possibilities are endless. Some teens even choose to volunteer abroad in order to help those in developing countries such as Ghana, Costa Rica, and India.

What advice would YOU give to other teens who are looking to jump out of their comfort zone? We’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments!