It seemed to me, especially the last few weeks, that the hot season of Summer was most likely NEVER going to end. Discussed pretty heavily this year, the summer of 2016 was one of the hottest to date. From an upstate NY perspective, I've never recalled drinking water or sweating so much before. Though, with that being said, it is clear to me that Summer has said it's goodbye's, and Fall will soon be approaching.
Dear Summer 2016,
I want to thank you for giving me some of the best months of my life this season. From seeing old friends to going out on the boat, there is so much I am going to miss. On your way our the door, I want you to have a list of things that I will miss most about you.
1. The Cottage
There is absolutely nothing like "lake weekend." Though my family doesn't have our own cottage, we are welcomed with open arms every year to go to our cousins' cottage on Conesus Lake, which is one of the popular Finger Lakes. From the drive there to the first boat ride of the year, each moment on the lake is a special one.
2. Pool Days
Aside from days at the lake, one of my favorite things to do during summer is going for a long run or bike ride to my friends house down the street, and once I arrive all sweaty and hot, jumping right into the cool, refreshing pool. The feeling is indescribable, and something I will miss so much. Hanging out by the pool with friends, good music, a sunny sky and some great food would make for the best pool days of 2016.
3. Ice Cream
I don't know about anyone else, but I felt 75% less guilty for all the ice cream I ate during the summer. Whether it was because of how much I worked out or because of how hot it was, I would never turn down a trip to Abbott's. Eating ice cream when it's cold outside just doesn't feel right to me: but getting ice cream after dinner (way too frequently) was amazing, and something I always looked forward to.
4. Air Conditioning
It may seem odd, but I always loved the feeling of walking into my house after being outside all day, and feeling an overwhelming amount of cool air hit my skin. It was the best of both worlds, because you could be outside in the hot sun for as long as you could stand, but when you needed to be cool again, all you had to do was walk inside. I always had options. :)
5. The Beach
Whether you live near a beach or not, trips to the nearest beach made for great day trips with friends. Packing a bag with a towel, some snacks, suns screen and your good friends are all you need to have a great day at the beach. You have the sand, you have waves, and you have the fresh sea salt smell. Perfect.
6. Windows Down
I will always remember getting in the car and asking my friends: "window's down or air on?" The answer was always "WINDOW'S DOWN!" I hand the aux cord to the passenger, turn the volume up and stick my arms out the window. And, if it was a really nice day out, I would leave the windows down on the expressway to feel the vast amounts of air consume the car. I didn't even need to be going anywhere: getting in the car just to drive in the summer time was perfectly okay for me.
7. No Stress
Of course, us college students probably all have jobs, but I am never less stressed than I am in the summertime. Getting out of work to a beating sun and the rest of my day to do whatever I wanted was a great feeling. I could go meet friends, hang by the pool, take my dog for a walk or just chill outside and listen to music. There was no school work to worry about, no full time job stress, and lots of time.
Though there are probably many other great things about summer, these are the things that I will miss most. Until next time summer, and I can't wait to see you again in 2017!
