4 . Many people enjoy spending their vacations swimming, lying in the sun and staying at luxurious hotels.     1     They head for the country, to one of the numerous United States national parks, and take advantage of the fresh air and many outdoor activities that nature has to offer.

“I’m a successful lawyer from San Francisco,” says Gavin Murphy. “    2     I usually go to Yosemite National Park, where I sleep in a tent, hike, and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

    3     They can go fishing in a cold stream, hiking on a winding nature trail, or biking along scenic paths. At certain times of the year, guided nature walks and interesting lectures on a variety of topics are offered to park guests.

Camping out does have its disadvantages, however.     4     Even after the weather clears up, there’s still lots of mud to deal with. The weather can be quite cold at night, and there are always many mosquitoes (蚊子).

Park rangers (护林员) recommend that visitors watch out for snakes, whose bites can be poisonous. They stress the fact that it is necessary that food be kept packed away, so that an unexpected bear doesn’t pay an unwelcome visit to some surprised guests.     5     “It might be nice to sit by a swimming pool and sip (小口抿) a drink,” says Tanya Rodriguez, a nature lover, “but nature is really so beautiful, and I’ve met such interesting people here. Nothing compares to a vacation like this!”

6 . Bingo has been a beloved game for generations, and for good reason.     1     Whether you’re looking for a way to spend some quality time with friends and family, or you’re just looking for a fun activity to do at home, hosting your own bingo party is a great option.

    2     First, up are the bingo cards. You can either choose to create your own bingo cards or use pre-made ones available online. You’ll also need bingo markers, which can be anything from small pieces of paper to pennies or even candy.

Once you have your supplies, it’s time to invite your guests. You can invite your friends and family over for a fun night of bingo, or you can even host a virtual bingo party over video chat.     3     Should you be hosting a virtual party, make sure to send out the video chat link ahead of time.

Once everyone has arrived, it’s time to start the game!     4     Each card should have a unique combination of numbers on it ranging from 1 to 90. Make sure that all players have a pen or marker to take down the numbers as they are called out.

The caller is responsible for drawing the numbers and calling them out to the players. Players keep marking the numbers on their cards until someone achieves a winning pattern. There are various winning patterns in bingo, such as completing a row, column, or diagonal line, or achieving a specific shape or design on the bingo card.     5     When a player achieves the winning pattern, they should call out “Bingo” loud and clear to signal that they have won.

The goal here is to have fun. While some organization is required, try not to tun it into a military operation. After all, bingo is the type of game that can bring people together and create a fun and exciting atmosphere.

Nowadays, people are spending more hours on work. However, taking some time off is important for refreshing yourselves. If you’re having trouble making time for a break, the recent research by the UCLA’s Anderson School suggests that treating your weekends like a vacation can make you happier.

The findings are based on a series of experiments. In one study of 441 workers, half of the test subjects were instructed to have a normal weekend, while the others had to “treat their weekend like a vacation.” The next Monday, the weekend vacationers reported that they felt happier and were generally more satisfied than those who had had a normal weekend. The vacationers also reported they spent more money in vacation mode—about $ 130 compared to $104. But it wasn’t the money that bought them happiness. The researchers controlled for the amount of money both groups could spend. The vacationers were still happier than the ones who had experienced a typical weekend.

The reason the vacation approach may have worked wonders: The vacation mindset allows people to be more attentive to the present moment. “We’re always trying to get through things to check off our to-do lists and treating the weekend like a vacation pushes us out of our continuous ‘doing’ mode,” said Cassie Holmes, a professor at UCLA’s Anderson School.

The study showed that getting into a vacation mindset during the weekend is relatively easy. Even if you can’t take the entire weekend “off”, you can manage to steal a piece of the weekend to gain the benefits of a vacation mindset.