It’s that time of the spring semester when Facebook and LinkedIn begin to sprout Summer Plan Announcements™. Friends and peers announce their successful snagging of summer study abroad trips, internships, research positions, and summer jobs across the nation.

Amidst the congratulatory comments, grinning emojis, and GoFundMe contributions when possible on the college budget, it can get overwhelming when you feel like you aren’t reveling in the same security.

So, to the person who may not have their summer plans locked down yet: It’s OK.

No, I’m not in your shoes this year, but before you click away, hear me out. Last summer, I had no fancy internships. No amazing trips in store. I felt surrounded by people who had ridiculously impressive and career-advancing summer plans, while I hastily secured an apartment to sublease and a couple jobs to keep me afloat. I felt like I was surviving instead of thriving, not really doing anything that mattered.

But I was wrong.

While it can be intimidating when you don’t seem to have the most Instagram-worthy of summer vacations, summer, like everything else, is what you make of it.

Last summer, yes, I stayed in Tempe, but I hit a lot of milestones. I moved in (and out) of my first apartment. I busted out some online classes that made my life as a dual-major a little easier. I performed in my first non-ASU production since moving up to the Phoenix area. I juggled commuting to my office job with a continuous dog-sitting gig. I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time, went to my first major league baseball game, and saw some amazing art. What the summer lacked in glitz and glamour, it made up for in friendship, hard work, and my first real taste of adulthood. I felt independent, proud of my achievements, and only mildly overwhelmed by the new world I balanced for three months.

Sounds at least a little more impressive, right?

I think this is for two reasons:

1. Summers like this are necessary. They help you find yourself, get a taste for the “grind”, and sort things out that can get lost when you’re off traveling (and spending a lot of money!!). They help you find the wonder in the everyday, which is a very real skill we each need to develop for ourselves.
2. Framing is everything. If you frame your summer as disappointing, even if you know for a fact that it could be “cooler” (pun intended), then it’s only going to seem even duller. If you find the fun, excitement, and overall value in the little moments, however, it can really be incredible.

“Adulting” (growth) can take different forms for different people at different times. Just because you didn’t win that research spot or have the money stashed away for that jaw-dropping trip this summer doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to get there next year or the year after.

Take this summer head on. Make it amazing in the big and small ways available to you, and remember that you are just as amazing and accomplished as your connections on LinkedIn.