The sunshine
A break from schoolwork
Days on the beach
Late night bonfires
Driving with your windows down
Singing to the music as loud as you can with your friends from home
Reuniting with friends you haven't seen for months
Family game nights
Dinners outside
Catching fireflies
Movie nights with popcorn and blankets
Movie theaters and drive ins
Getting tan by just walking outside
Reading a good book
Binge watching a show
Bike rides
Tropical vacations
The sound of the ice cream truck driving by
Lemonade stands
The sun setting at 8 o'clock or later
Pretty sunsets where you can see almost every color in the rainbow
Thunderstorms at night
The smell of warm rain
The trees and grass are all green
The flowers blooming
Fourth of July celebrations
Carnivals and music festivals
Late night talks
Doing nothing the whole day and not regretting a thing
Buying school supplies for the next school year
Shopping
Long walks
The peaceful stillness you feel when you're laying out in your backyard
Visiting your old schools to pretend you're a kid again for a day
Concerts
The feeling of your bare feet on the warm grass
Food, in general
The feeling you get when a sunburn turns into a tan
Playing Wood Chips in your childhood park
Ghost in the Graveyard
Marco Polo
Swimming pools
Walking your dog(s) around the neighborhood
All nighters
Sleeping in
Rainbows (I know this isn't a seasonal thing, but it always looks prettier in the summer)
Amusement parks
Dippin Dots
Laying in your bed after a long day of adventures
Being adventurous with the people you love
...
I remember one day that wasn't even during the summer, but it felt like it. It was a random Saturday in the middle of February. My friend, Rachel, and I took the opportunity of the warm weather, and we went to the beach. I don't remember much from the day except for building sandcastles and swinging really fast on the loveseat thing they had.
When it was starting to get dark, we decided we wanted to go see a movie. If you know me, you know that going to the movie theater is literally my favorite thing in the world. We saw the movie "Gifted," which is one of my all time favorite movies now, and I think it has a lot to do with this day.
I remember sitting in the theater, feeling warm on the outside from the blanket we brought but also feeling warm on the inside because it felt like summer. I was with one of my best friends in the world, and I felt good because I didn't want to be anywhere else. I think that's what makes summer so special to people. It's not about the warm weather or trying to get the perfect tan; it's about being with the people that make you happy and doing the things that make you happy.
So I leave you with this (embrace the cheesiness): Make every day feel like a summer's day.
