Congratulations on entering this new stage of life! Four years of hard work has finally paid off. High school is most importantly a time for you to find your self-identity and for friendships to blossom. Connections were formed and memories were made, but now it is time to find your own path without the guidance of your parents or teachers.

This summer is going to be short. It is going to be a whirlwind so embrace every moment. Spend time with your family, your friends, and your pets, for this is the last summer of being a ‘kid.’ You are about to embark on a journey that is both wonderful, exciting, and new, yet also extremely frightening. For now, enjoy the graduations, the parties, the grad gifts, and the high school friendships.

Here are some suggestions for living this summer to the fullest and making memories to carry you into your freshman year of college.

1. Buy Spiritwear

Now is the time to represent your future school and your future home. Wear the school colors with pride. So, go buy that t-shirt, the hat, or the sweatshirt you saw in the school bookstore. It will be worth it- especially on game days when it’s basically a requirement to wear school colors!

2. Spend time with your family.

This summer you will truly realize how much you value your parents, your siblings, and your pets. Go on long car rides, day trips, and make sure to be home for dinner most nights to have those last few weeks with them. Soon you will be relying on texts and facetime calls to communicate with them. It may not seem like it right now, but in a few months, you will appreciate the face-to-face conversations you had with your family over the summer. Believe me, your parents will love the time you spend with them before saying goodbye in August.

3. Focus on the future, not the past.

Whether you had an amazing high school experience or a mediocre one, it is now time to focus on your future plans. So, instead of reminiscing about high school memories and wishing you had more time to spend with teachers or friends you made during those four years, concentrate on the time you will spend at college and the new memories you will make there. Plan your dorm room design, get to know your roommate, and tour the campus just one more time before move-in day.

4. Make a packing list.

This one is super important. Moving to college is a huge task. It takes a lot of hard work and preparation. From a microwave to your favorite stuffed animal, it’s always a good idea to make a list of everything you need to pack. Write everything down and reference it as you are packing- you never know if you’re going to forget something! Make a separate list of things you need to buy before leaving as well. Doing this will ease your mind and will make it a lot simpler when the time comes to pack up.

5. Enjoy this grace period.

This time between graduation and leaving for school will absolutely FLY by. This is 100% a cliché, but enjoy every minute of it. Appreciate your family, celebrate your accomplishments (you finished high school- congratulations), spend time with friends, and look forward to the next four years of discovering who you are, what you want to do, and how you want to live your life.

Summer is a time for relaxation and decompressing from a school year. This summer you are decompressing from four whole years of hard work. Take advantage of this time and make it the best summer yet- good times are ahead.