Summer is approaching, and I've already sat countless nights wondering how I want to make the most of it. Do I get a job? Take on an internship? Travel? Stay at home with friends and family? However, that's when I realized that I actually spent more time planning than doing.

Looking back, this concept applied to most of my years of being in school. Or my life, really. And quite honestly, there is a small hint of regret for not being 100% engaged in every moment. But who am I to blame? Each year, my poor Lilly planner was jam packed with colored pen marks and checkboxes. Homework due this day, sports game another day, nail appointment after this, workout session after that, test here, project there, then dealing with friends in-between, time management was, and still is, so important. So how exactly am I supposed to be in the "now?"

That question, at least for me, is still left unanswered (hence why the title says "What I Learned So Far). However, there a lot of factors that made me decide to make a larger effort to be present. After all those times of saying, "Wow. This year went by so fast!" at the end of each year, only proved to me that time isn't slowing down anytime soon. In fact, it only seems to be moving faster. It's scary.

It doesn't help that I am guilty of being glued to my phone to check what's happening in the now, often forgetting that I am pulled away from the "actual" now. I've come to realize, though, that the memories you make aren't based on your Snapchat memories or the photos you post on Instagram or Facebook. The fomo gets real, especially when you miss out on social gatherings or events that you aren't at. Sometimes vicariously living through the snap stories or insta's are the only way to stay in the loop. Yet constantly waiting on a new story from a person, or refreshing a page until a new post comes up, doesn't necessarily help you be in the now; even a post that's been uploaded a second ago, just makes us one second late, not actually present. Therefore, being stuck in the loop really means you are either stuck in the past or the future and never the present. Doesn't it get boring after a while?

It's tiring to let everyone in your loop. Updating social media 24/7, then telling people the same backstory over and over again until everyone knows. Being aware of what is around you could be the kind of attention you should be paying to find out more about yourself. It's about knowing what you want, not others want, and using your time for you, not for anyone else. And quite frankly, there isn't enough time in the day to truly treat yourself as much as you should, so don't put it to waste. The memories you wish to cherish should not be for others, and if you feel the need to be on your phone at a specific time, place, and moment, then maybe it isn't worth genuinely remembering at all.

I encourage everyone, especially those who have just graduated high school, to make the most of their last summer before moving into college. Who knows? Maybe you will see something in yourself that you can't find on your phone.