Lake houses are a staple inside the Greek community. The ocean is too far away, and you can’t fish in a pool.

Nothing beats a weekend with some of your best friends at someone’s lake house way out in the boonies. When cell reception is too low to load twitter, and there is plenty of sunshine, you have a perfect combination for some real good times. Here is a little rundown of the things that go into a perfect weekend at the lake.

1. Road trip. A road trip is a fraternity essential.  You didn’t go to college if you didn’t take at least one road trip. It’s a rite of passage for most of us, and it can be a great experience. Our school isn’t really located close to any major body of water, so you are going to have to drive. Two hours in the car with your buddies, jamming to Dave Matthews is easily the best way to start a legendary weekend.  Don’t forget to stop at a truck stop, and don’t forget to pack snacks.

2. Lawn games. Whether you are pitching bags, beersby, or canjam, lawn games are a staple of any outdoor event and make the weekend super enjoyable. Keep it competitive, have a few beers. There isn’t too much to explain here.

3. Lake activities. Whether you spend your day wakeboarding or fishing, this may be the focal point of the weekend. The lake is a constant source of entertainment, and I recommend you take it all in. Play Marco Polo in shallow water, or get some pool noodles and float into some deeper water.  Get crazy doing some tubing, or get into a canoe.  Reenact "The Parent Trap." 

4. A squad. The people that you go with will make or break the trip, so choose wisely.  Remember that a bigger group is almost always more fun than a small group.  Mix it up. Bring chicks and dudes.  Remember to maintain the (1:1.5) guy to girl ratio.

5. Sunscreen. This is not a joke.  If you get super burned on Saturday, remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  Stay hydrated, remember to eat, and take a nap (especially if there is a hammock).  

6. Music. There is lots to be said about music, but all you need to do is whip out your summer jams.  From Bruce Springsteen to Luke Bryan, and Dave Matthews to some euro house, the music controls the mood of the whole lake, so make it happy.  

7. A grill. Grill some dogs, grill some burgers, and grill some corn.  Nothing makes a summer outing more complete than cooking meat over an open flame.  A grill is the ideal way to feed your hungry squad, and everything tastes better grilled, but that’s another article. 

8. Your “summer” body. Doesn’t matter if you followed your Pinterest workout plan now, it’s too late.  Maybe you hit the gym every day, or maybe you have the chipotle app on your phone so you can skip the line.  It really doesn’t matter now.  Keep your t-shirt on if you want, or let it all hang out.  Nobody is perfect, and I am a proponent of wearing a t-shirt in the pool, so you can rest assured that it is cool.    

9. Your host’s high school friends. Your host will most likely have a few friends that ended up going to another school, and this weekend is a perfect time to catch up with them. This is also a great time to have a real low key drinking completion with a kid that doesn’t know what is about to hit him. This poor kid made a huge mistake, and you are about to drink him under the table in a few minutes anyway.  

10. Clea. This is an investment in your future weekends at someone’s family vacation home.  Please don’t forget that this belongs to a family, not a fraternity.  Just like the Boy Scouts, make sure that you can leave it better than you found it, because you are most likely on thin ice with your host’s parents from mom’s weekend, or that home football game where you puked at their tailgate.  

Follow these and above all remember to have a good time.  Enjoy your summer.