It’s finally spring time! The weather is starting to heat up, and we’re on the verge of having finals again. Most of us are finished with this semester in less than a month, which is so crazy and kind of scary. As my senior year approaches, I realize this is one of the last summers I can enjoy as a college student without having to “adult” just yet. So naturally, I have to make it count, which is why I created a personal bucket list. And I encourage you to do it, too, or at least join me in completing mine!

A bucket list should be something that is reasonable to complete within your deadline, which for most of us, is about three to four months. So, check out what I’ve got planned!

1. Try something new!

I know this is so cliché, but I really haven’t ventured from my comfort zone lately. I want to try something I’ve never eaten before or try a new activity. It doesn’t have to be crazy, but maybe if you’ve never tried heat yoga, you should sign up for a class and give it a try! Or, it could be extreme like eating frog legs for the first time! The opportunity is yours to make it count!

2. Complete an act of kindness.

Do something nice for a complete stranger. Buy someone a drink at the bar, pay for someone’s coffee in the Starbucks drive thru or compliment someone. Not only is this good karma, but it feels nice to do something for someone, knowing it’ll make their day.

3. Face your fears.

A lot of people who know me, know I’m afraid of roller coasters, especially heights. So, this summer, I’m going to go parasailing or go on a roller coaster without backing out at last minute in line! Your fear might be something more serious like you’re afraid to fall in love again or you’re scared to open up to people. You can face this by getting out of your own comfort zone and giving someone the chance to really get to know you. Go on a blind date or finally give someone the chance they’ve been waiting for.

4. Meet a stranger and actually get to know them.

I want to learn a couple sentences in a different language this summer — not just Spanish or French they teach you in high school. I want to meet someone from Russia or Japan and learn something about their culture. Often times in public, we’ve got our heads stuck in our phones, but this summer, I challenge you to talk to the person next to you – get to know their name and where they’re from. They could be the most interesting person you’ve ever met.

5. Plan a girls/guys week/weekend.

Everyone is always so busy, and it’s hard to get the “crew” together. Plan in advance! I’m going to Vegas in August with my girlfriends for a couple days. We planned ahead, so we knew everyone could get the time off work and not make any plans for those dates, plus now we have the time to save up! You don’t have to go as extreme as to Vegas. Plan to hit the beach for a long weekend and have some fun with your friends. Have a couple drinks, or maybe one too many, take ridiculous pictures and spend some quality time with your friends this summer; make it happen!

6. Go on a hike; take an adventure.

You don’t have to hike Mt. Everest this summer, but take an adventure to somewhere you’ve never been. Physical activity is healthy for your body and also your mind. Hikes are fun because you’re getting in a workout, while also enjoying the summer weather and nature.

7. Lose your phone for the day.

Drop your phone for a day and have real conversations with people who are in front of you. Don’t check your social media accounts or emails for the day. Enjoy the life around you. Not only is this a challenge for many people, it’s liberating and will make you appreciate the people and things right in front of you more.

8. Plan something special for someone you care about.

This summer, I want to be selfish and focus on myself and my own happiness, but I also want to make sure the ones I love and care about feel appreciated, too. Take a day to really show this person you care about them. Cook them dinner, drive them to their favorite ice cream shop, take them into the city and let them decide the itinerary for the day. This doesn’t have to be for a significant other, either, because if you’re anything like me, you definitely don’t have one of those. This person could be your best friend, your mom, your dad, your grandparents or even a sibling you don’t spend that much time with anymore.

9. Be a kid again.

Go to your favorite amusement park and just let loose. Buy all the cotton candy and Dippin’ Dots ice cream you want! Just live a little and let your responsibilities take a backseat for the day. Hit up your favorite go-kart or mini golf establishment and go on that track 50 times if you want. Take your best friends to one of your favorite childhood places and just enjoy yourself for the day, not worrying about being an adult.

10. Look at the stars.

I know, this one also sounds cliché. But as a kid, my dad used to take me to our family camp in Vermont, and we would take the quad out into an open field and just look at the stars. It was relaxing and such a bonding experience as we would look for the North Star, the Milky Way and whatever else was up there. We made our own shapes and galaxies. Leave your phone in the house, grab a friend or even go by yourself, but just take the time to appreciate the simple things — things that often go unnoticed or overlooked.

11. Host a cookout.

This is one of my favorite parts of summer. Nothing is better than surrounding yourself with all the people you love, listening to some good music and feasting on some amazing food cooked on the grill. Everyone is having a good time and the atmosphere is always comforting.

12. Set yourself a goal.

Give yourself at least one goal you want to accomplish for the summer. It could be to lose 10 pounds by August, finally taking out that girl you’ve been flirting with or maybe you want to make more than $1,000 by a certain date. Your goal can be anything you want it to be as long as you set yourself a date to finish it by and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t accomplish it. It was worth the try, no matter what! Rome wasn’t built in a day, either.

13. Visit somewhere you’ve never been.

For me, this is Vegas. I’ve heard so many stories about Vegas — what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and I can’t wait to have my own. But your place could be simple. Try a new restaurant you’ve never been, or if you have the funds, maybe go to a country you haven’t been to yet. Go to a state nearby and do the most tourist thing you can do there. As long as you’re visiting a place you haven’t been to, you’ll have a memory you wouldn’t have had before!

14. Take a day to yourself.

This is the day you can just do whatever you want. We all need time to ourselves, to think and regroup. If you want to lay in bed and watch "Grey’s Anatomy" all day, then do it! If you want to go to the spa and spoil yourself, who’s stopping you? Maybe you’ll want to just spend the entire day by yourself at the beach, taking in the atmosphere and listening to the waves crash. Go on a run and just get lost in your favorite playlist. But take an entire day off — from everyone and everything. This day is all about you!

15. Don’t settle.

This should always be something that we do, but we often forget to take the time to appreciate ourselves. This summer, I want you to take the time to know your worth! If you have a friend who isn’t much of a friend anymore, then either talk to them about this or part ways. If you’re starting to feel yourself catching feelings for someone who isn’t giving you what you deserve, then stop letting them off the hook, kick ‘em to the curb and find someone who sees you for the amazing person you are. Don’t let yourself settle for crappy people or crappy experiences, either.

16. Give into your weakness.

If you’ve been trying to avoid chocolate because once you take that first bite, you can’t stop, well, do it anyways. If you’ve been avoiding your crush all summer because you’re afraid they don’t feel the same way, reach out, see what they say, see how they react. Maybe you’ve been trying to save up money, but you’re a shopping addict, like myself. Give yourself a limit and go on a mini shopping spree. Stop restricting yourself, at least for a day.

17. Attend a music festival or concert.

In the summer, there is nothing I love more than going to a country concert with my friends. But if you’re not a country fan, there are still plenty of concerts and music events in the summer. I love the trip up, the excitement in the car, the tailgate before the show, the loud music pumping through the entire audience and singing along to the words you memorized a week before. It’s exhilarating and fun. Plan a date when all your friends can go — it’ll give you something to look forward to and something to remember... or not, depending on how much you tailgate!

18. Make a collage of memories.

This is the summer to make count. Take pictures — take lots of them! Take a coaster from the new restaurant or bar you tried. Buy a souvenir from the place you’ve never been to before. Make memories, and make them count. At the end of your summer, create a collage of all the new things you tried and all the fun adventures you took. You’ll want to look back at this someday.

Make this the summer to remember. Meet new people, and try things you’ve never tried before. Go to the places you’ve always wanted to see. Maybe you’ll find love this summer, or maybe this summer will help you to love yourself again. Create memories with the people you care about, and get rid of the ones who don’t care too much about you! Accomplish the goals you’ve created for yourself. I hope you can check off every item on this list because I know I will! Good luck!