Dear Summer,

I am not going to start this letter with the mundane phrase: "You better be good to me." After all, that phrase is heard again and again. Quite honestly, the problem lies in the mere essence that summer can only be as good as WE make it. Summer is contingent on OUR actions. We have all been through it: waiting and waiting throughout the school year for summer vacation to come. We seek for the warmth of the golden sun and the sound of the crashing waves on the shore. We want the late nights with our friends and the oozing cold of the ice cream drizzling down our hands. But, as much as we crave these remembrances of a time where there are no pressing deadlines, exams to study for, balancing a social life and academics, keeping in touch with friends, getting enough sleep, staying fit and active and maybe even handling a job throughout the school year, why is it that often, we get stuck in a "summer slump". I do not know really what to call it, but I guess the best phrase for it is a "summer slump" because honestly that is what it is. Sometimes the hype for summer is so real, that when it comes we forget to take a step back and to enjoy the near three months we have to totally regroup and prepare for another school year to come. I mean, how crazy is it that I have been home for ONE WEEK and I am already in that "summer slump". I literally and figuratively do not know what to do with myself. But I have to recognize this is all my fault. Starting today, I have made a vow to myself to stop blaming other people and to recognize that I am in control of my own life. Summer 2017 will be good to me because I WILL make it good to me. This summer I vow to take control and to totally reinvent myself: physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am taking this summer for a time for me. Most importantly, I am recognizing that this is a time for NO STRESS. I repeat NO STRESS.

Summer, I promise that I will be good to myself. I promise that I will take care of myself. I promise that I will start spending time with the right people. I will start being myself genuinely and proudly. I will start being polite to myself. I will start giving new people that I meet a chance. I will start noticing the beauty even in the darkest of times. I will start accepting myself for who I am. I will stop concentrating on things that I cannot control. I will start being positive. I will learn to trust my judgment. I will take life less seriously. I will work out what is stopping me. I will set an intention each and every day. I will meditate and will reflect on inspiring quotes. I will think: what do I want to be?

Summer WILL be good to me because I will make it worth the time. For these are my summer rules: I will jump into the ocean of life and will learn to ride the waves. I will be shore of myself and take time to coast. I will sea life's beauty and will not be a crab. I will make this summer my summer. Will you?