Six ways to create summer holiday vibes in your living room during lockdown

I recently applied for a role with a brand that I love. I went above and beyond in making myself stand out at the application stage and I’m pleased to say that my efforts didn’t go unnoticed. I was one of 13 people chosen to attend an interview – of over 1,100 applicants – and although I made it through to the second round of interviews; unfortunately, I wasn’t successful this time around.

One of my interview pre-tasks was to write a short blog post about ‘How to create summer holiday vibes in your living room during lockdown.’ The blog post had to be 300 words or less and as I was writing for the brand’s website, I had to keep in mind their aesthetic and tone of voice. I’d like to share my final version with you here:

It’s November; we’re eight months into a global pandemic, the nights are pulling in, and if you’re like us, you haven’t had a summer holiday since what feels like 1992.

There’s nothing better, or more awesome than travelling. While we can’t travel (without a negative coronavirus test) for the foreseeable future, we can pop a brightly coloured, stripy and sand resistant towel over our shoulder and head into the living room. That’s right; we’re here to tell you how to create summer holiday vibes in the comfort of your own home!

1. Create your own cabana – it’s like fort building, but for adults. Use your favourite towels to turn your sofa into something that looks like it wouldn’t look out of place on a beach in Bali.
2. Listen to our Summer Holi-stay playlist – we’ve created the ultimate playlist for you to jam out too. Dance like you’re in Ibiza or, like no-ones watching. Listen here.
3. Put together a fruit platter – is there anything better than fresh fruit on a beach in 30°C heat? Fresh pineapple, coconut, watermelon. DROOL!
4. Cocktail making – we can’t promise unlimited alcohol or  even a bar, but making your own cocktails can be fun! Margaritas anyone? And if you don’t drink alcohol, there’s always Fanta Lemon.
5. Transport yourself with flavour – why not re-create a meal from your favourite holiday, or try cooking something new. All else fails, there’s always a takeaway!
6. Watch the perfect sunset – on YouTube, that is. Transport yourself to anywhere in the world and watch some of the best sunsets, from your sofa/newly built cabana. Santorini, South Africa, Australia – the (virtual) world is your oyster!

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