The last full month of summer break is nearing its end. The fireflies are slowly disappearing from the yards, back to school advertisements are reappearing on TV screens, and those cute, seasonal shops are beginning to close. Soon school will begin, the loud ringing of the bell calling children from the fun of their backwards to the many dimly lit classrooms until summer begins once again in the upcoming year. Soon, mornings will be rushed, and afternoons will be occupied with homework. This is the future. That future is not now.

To most, now is the time for preparation. The time to make use of those back to school sales, to reintroduce stubborn children to the ever hated bedtime, and to get all the ducks in a row. Schedules are being made, clothes are being bought, and lunches are being planned.

But summer is not over yet! There are around three weeks until the start of school. Three weeks that could easily be filled with a last minute vacation, scavenger hunts in the yard, or maybe a legendary party or two. There is still time! My suggestion would be to go out into the world. Take a walk around the neighborhood, see some friends or even make a few new ones. Take a car to that restaurant everyone raves about, maybe try a new hobby. Learn how to do a handstand, bake cookies, and throw a pie in someone's face! Three weeks could be filled with endless adventures.

Of course, I am not recommending to wait the day before to start preparing. Soon I too will sit down and gather my supplies to finish off my final year of high school. I will pack my plethora of pencils, grab my colorful folders, and start the difficult process of filling my schoolbag to the brim. By that time I will have most likely subjected myself to a better sleeping schedule and finished my summer homework issued at the ending of last year.

Until then I plan on using every last day I have. My mornings will start on my time, books will be read, friends will be seen, and stories will be made. Maybe I'll climb a tree, catch a legendary Pokémon, or finally win a card game against my father. There are so many things to do and so much time to do it.

No one can run away from time. Eventually those three weeks will become the past and the future will become the present. You have no idea what stories could be made if you just stepped outside your door instead of sitting in the artificial lighting of your home to prepare to things weeks to come. Try not to dwell on the things that will happen later, but the things that can happen now. There is still time to be spent. How it is used depends on you.