Summer 2016 is right around the corner; school's ending, the weather is getting warmer, strawberries are finally a reasonable price, and the feeling of freedom that comes with three months off from school is in the air. Here's some advice on how to have the best summer ever!
1. Take lots of pictures
Capture everything. Take pictures of the your friends at brunch, the wildflowers growing in your backyard, the book you're reading in the park. Take silly pictures and serious pictures and mirror selfies. Fill up your camera roll with the memories that make up your summer, and look back on them every once in a while to remember all the wonderful things you did, food you ate, people you spent time with, and moments you had.
2. Eat lots of ice cream
It's not summer if there's no ice cream! Grab your friends and go to your favorite ice cream shop after a long day in the hot sun. Go to a local creamery instead of hitting up Dairy Queen or Coldstone, and don't forget to take pictures of your ice cream!
3. Do something that scares you
Maybe it's jumping off a big rock or skinny dipping at the beach. Maybe it's finally asking the cute boy from down the street to hangout or cutting your hair short. If you're human, then there's something you're scared of. Face your fears this summer and do one thing your scared of. Chances are it'll make you feel alive and make your summer super memorable.
4. Challenge yourself
Summer is the perfect time to get fit! The weather outside is beautiful and you have plenty of time. Find an activity that makes you feel good and try it out. Whether it's yoga, running, lifting, or going on a bike ride, getting active will make you happier (endorphins!!!!) and give you an amazing confidence boost!
5. Go on a spontaneous adventure
Grab your friends, get in the car, and go somewhere. Climb the nearest mountain or take a road trip to the shore for the day. Find a small town in the middle of nowhere and get lost. Find a new adventure spot and find yourself the process. Spend this summer being spontaneous and adventurous and somehow both lost and found.
6. Spend as much time in a bathing suit as possible
The best summers are the one's where you live in your bikini. Spend as much time lying by the pool, jumping waves in the ocean, and soaking up the sun as possible! If you have a bikini, flip flops, and some suntan lotion, then you have all you need to have the perfect summer.
7. Be comfortable in your own skin
Don't worry about being skinny enough to look good in your bathing suit. You're beautiful and you deserve to enjoy some fun in the sun no matter what your body looks like. Focus more on being healthy and happy and having fun and forget about the rest!
8. Read a book that makes you feel something
Find a book that you're absolutely in love with. The best books are the kind of books that can make you feel so many different things at once. Marvel in awe at the fact that words written down on a piece of paper can make you feel happy and sad and alive and invincible.
9. Make some DIY crafts for your dorm/apartment
Head to Michaels and warm up your hot glue gun. Spend a day making crafts to decorate your dorm room or apartment. Head to Pinterest for some ideas!
10. Take time to relax
Relax this summer. Going on adventures and spending time with your friends is important, but remember to take some time to relax this summer. You'll be wishing for these days when the semester starts again and you have 20 minutes of free time between classes and work. Relax and take a breather every once in a while. You'll need Pjs, cozy socks, a fluffy pet, and Netflix or a good book for this one.
11. Eat fresh fruit
Indulge in the delicious sweetness of fresh fruit. Fruit in the summertime is abundant, ripe, and delicious. Enjoy summer fruits that are hard to get during other times of the year like peaches, cherries, watermelon, and pineapple. Blend em all together in a smoothie if you're feeling like a frozen treat.
12. Enjoy the little things
The best way to enjoy your summer is to take the time and enjoy the little things in your life. Romanticize the moment when you first wake up and stretch your arms, the sunlight shining in your window and the songbirds chirping. Smile about the cute puppy you saw on your morning run and the freckles that appear on your shoulder after a day in the sun. Realize that life is made up of all these little moments and that they're the most important ones.
13. Watch the stars
Grab a couple of blankets and find somewhere that's dark enough. Lie down and look up at the stars and remember how small you are compared to the vastness of the entire universe. Realize that the things you're worried about are so meaningless compared to this. See the beauty of the world and realize that you yourself are nature; recognize that you are a reflection of the stars. Have a meaningful talk with someone you care about and speak words that are only meant for dark nights when the stars are the only one's listening.
14. Find the perfect song for summer
Every summer has a song that takes you back to nights by the fire and fireworks and warm sunshine and sand on your skin. Find the perfect song to play on the radio when you're driving around with your windows down and the radio up way louder than it should be. Years from now when you hear this song, remember how free and wonderful and alive you felt this summer.
15. Spend more time outside
Go on bike rides and sit in the park and ask for outdoor seating at your favorite restaurant. Enjoy the beautiful weather that you'll be daydreaming about in December. Spend less time in the house, on the internet, and on your phone. Spend more time enjoying the beauty that this world has to offer.
16. Go to Applebee's for Half Apps
What could be better than Applebee's honey barbecue boneless wings? Half priced honey barbecue boneless wings! Grab your friends and head to Applebee's after 9 P.M. for half priced apps. Sit in the booth with your friends and laugh about life and enjoy your wings. This is essential for a great summer.
17. Spend more time with the people you love
When you get caught up with school during the semester, it can be easy to forget about spending time with the people you care about. Spend your free time this summer catching up with friends and spending time with your loved one's.
18. Live in the moment
Be present. Don't worry about the that tough course that you're taking next semester or your grades from last semester. Focus on what's in front of you and forget about the rest.
