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Lifestyle

9 Things you HAVE to Do Before Summer Ends

The only bucket list that matters.

Anna King

Jul 30, 2018

Jacksonville State University

Unsplash

Sometimes it seems like we've wasted a summer if we weren't able to fill our Instagram with photo perfect shots of how fun our life is, or how many friends we have. We buy tickets to amusement parks, concerts, and big events, but it's the things we don't pay for that have the greatest significance. So before you keep trying to buy the end of your summer, here are some things you truly have to do.

1. Spend time with the people you love

Whether you're moving off to college or not, school just keeps us busy- and often times runs us ragged. Even if you're still living at home, quality conversations can be few and far between once the school work piles on. Be where your feet are and cherish those moments while they're available.

2. Laugh like crazy

Not everything in this world must be complex and methodical. Laugh! When your perfect summer that you had so carefully planned falls through? Laugh about it! Fall semester's schedule isn't coming together the way you had hoped? Life is different than you had planned? Take a deep breath, then laugh until you can't breathe. Ephesians 3:20 tells us God has plans for us beyond our wildest imagination! That means that it's ok for things not to always seem ok- someone bigger than us has got this.

3. Think about last year

What worked? What went well? What didn't? To repeat a behavior and expect a different out come? You guessed it, that's called insanity. If you were unhappy last year, take every chance you can to change it! Set yourself up for success, don't just expect it to happen!

4. Evalute where you are now

Be honest with yourself. Where are you struggling? What do you need to work on? Where are you at mentally? Nobody but you can answer these questions, but if you put in the work to answer them you will go so far.

5. Set goals for yourself

You can't get where you want to go if you don't know where you're going. Set big goals! Set small attainable goals! The important thing is that you have a plan and are working on your own growth. Will these goals always be accomplished? Probably not. Is it the end of the world? Nope! Use them as a tool to build yourself with, but don't let them be what you measure yourself worth by.

6. Think about next year

Now that you have goals, how will you get there? What do you have control over that you can plan for? What's out of your control that you need to be flexible with?

7. Read!

Read big books. Read little books. Read blogs. Read the newspaper. Get someone's thoughts other than your own! Perspective has an amazing power in our lives.

8. Plan a B-U-D-G-E-T

There are lots of stressful things in this life, but money doesn't have to be one of them. Some time, effort, and common sense can make life so much smoother while money stretches so much farther.

9. Enjoy it while it last!

Life is short, and nothing gold can stay Ponyboy. Enjoy summer while its here- and when fall gets here? Enjoy that to. Life is full of many things, but consistency isn't one of them. There will be new struggles and challenges. There will be new good things. Enjoy today and it's opportunities while it's here.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Recommended for you

9 Things you HAVE to Do Before Summer Ends

The only bucket list that matters.

1. Spend time with the people you love

2. Laugh like crazy

3. Think about last year

4. Evalute where you are now

5. Set goals for yourself

6. Think about next year

7. Read!

8. Plan a B-U-D-G-E-T

9. Enjoy it while it last!

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May the odds be ever in your favor.

Phase One: The “I got this” phase

Phase Two: The “I have time” phase

Phase Three: The uncontrollable sobbing phase

Phase Four: The “help me, I've fallen and I can't get up” phase

Phase Five: The rejoicing phase

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all. — Thumper

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories. — Genie

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