Stop. Listen. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of millions of college kids crying into their cereal bowls. School is starting back up, nature is beginning to die and Pumpkin Spice is about to intoxicate every coffee shop ever. Summer is almost over, kids, and with it: my happiness. In order to preserve my eternal appreciation of all things warm and sunny, here is a list of reasons why summer will always be better than winter.

1. Being outdoors

Who tf wants to hang outside when it’s 20 degrees outside? Not Chewie. Be like Chewie.

2. Less clothes

Layers and layers of clothing is so inconvenient. Like, you have to put 84 layers on just to step outside to grab the mail. Summer is filled with so much freedom and so many less decisions.

3. Star gazing

Laying in the grass, in the hammock, on the roof watching the stars is simply mesmerizing and influences everyone to question their existence

4. No shoes

Say yes to freedom and no to sock tans. Stormtroopers approve.

5. Grass

You know that feeling you get when you see the grass for the first time after a long winter? That feeling is the reason why summer beats winter and paper beats rock.

6. Fireworks and sparklers

There’s nothing so American.

7. Flowers

Flowers add color, aroma and beauty to a world that is dead and ugly in the winter. They make a better Instagram post than boring white hills anyway.

8. Tanning

Not just tanning, but sun bathing. Soaking up the sun by the pool, on the beach, in the tanning bed in your garage.

9. Shirtless boys

Shirtless boys.

10. Swimming

Nothing beats the refreshing sensation of submerging yourself in your neighbor’s pool while they’re on vacation.

11. Ice cream

And then sneaking into their freezer and eating the Rocket Pops because those are their kids’ favorite and you love seeing them cry.

12. Beach trips

There is sun, water, ice cream and shirtless boys.

Now, winter may be as far off as a Game of Thrones winter, but nevertheless: it is coming and I am crying.