Your iQ summer bucket list
There are approximately 4 weeks left of 2026 summer. How are you gonna make the most of them? With our iQ summer bucket list, you’ll be full of great ideas for what to do before Autumn rolls around.
Try a new ice cream flavour
Ice cream is the ultimate summer treat, so we’ll bet you’ve already had at least one this year. Our challenge to you is to try a flavour you’ve never tried before. We’re thinking passionfruit, black sesame or even wasabi! Take your friends, head to an ice cream parlour in your city and get creative. The following spots sell ice cream or gelato (and some do desserts too):
- Swoon - Bristol, Bath, Southampton, Oxford, London
- Udderlicious – London
- Amorino – Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, Bath, Bristol, London and more
- Creams café – Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester, Brighton, Windsor, London, Bath, Bristol, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham
Cool off by the sea or a lido
There are loads of lidos and beaches around the UK where you can take a dip, catch some rays and enjoy that holiday feeling. With so many spots to choose from, why not visit more than one? If you go to the beach, be sure to build a sandcastle.
Take some summer snaps
Capture your best summer moments by taking lots of pics, whether you're making sandcastles at the beach, tucking into ice cream or chilling on the roof terrace. If you’ve got your own camera, use that, but a phone is also great – you could even download an app that gives your photos a vintage feel. Print out your photos at the end of summer and make a cute collage for your pinboard.
Recharge in the outdoor spaces
The spaces in or around your iQ are ideal spots to decompress in some fresh air. Read a book in your local park, take a peaceful walk along a trail, drink in the views on the roof terrace or chat with your mates in the courtyard.
Try a new hobby
The summer holidays offer way more free time than uni terms, so why not learn something new? Maybe you’ve been putting off learning to crochet, building your baking prowess or grasping how to play padel. Now’s your moment. You could sign up to classes or search for free tutorials online to brush up on your skills.
Treat yourself to new stationery
Whether you’re coming back to iQ for another year of uni or heading out into the big wide world, new stationery is always a good idea. Grab a shiny new notebook, pen and any other bits you might need for your next chapter. Find items that really feel like ‘you’ – perhaps that’s a notepad covered in butterflies, or just one in your fave colour.
Ticked everything off the list? You’re officially an iQ summer pro, and this is officially your summer of bests.
