Dear Summer Vacation,

After being out of school for a while, I figured that I should show my appreciation for you. You are my favorite time of year for so many reasons, and one of those reasons is that my brain gets to take a break. Don't get me wrong, I love college and everything that it has to offer, but sometimes it felt like I was going crazy. So thank you, summer vacation, for keeping me sane.

I longed for warm weather and longer days, and now that those days are here, I couldn't be happier. You have so much to offer and I intend to take it all in. I love that you have such a relaxed feeling and that there are endless opportunities in a single day.

Thank you for the peace and solitude. After being around people all day, every day, it's nice to just sit down, read a good book, or watch Netflix without being interrupted.

I am also very thankful for the job opportunities that you have. Even though you give everyone a chance to take a break, there are many people, like me, who like to be busy. I also need money for a handful of different reasons, so thank you, summer vacation, for existing so that college students like me can save money for the things we need in the future.

Let's not forget about all of the amazing food there is during summer vacation. You offer the sweetest and most wonderful types of food. My favorites include ice cream, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry shortcake and grilled food. It's true that you can have most of this food anytime of the year, but none of these foods taste as good as they do in the summer.

I need to thank you, summer vacation, for all of the amazing weather that comes along with you. I love those days where I can just sit outside, read a good book and enjoy the vitamin D that my body has been craving. I also love the summer thunderstorms. There is nothing more amazing than sitting outside on a porch while you listen to the thunder and see the lightning strike.

Another reason why you are my favorite time of year is because you offer so many different ways to interact with water. Whether it's swimming in a pool or lake, going boating, or just floating down a river, you can spend endless hours on the water, having fun and soaking up the sun. Swimming is my absolute favorite thing to do, and I love you, summer vacation, for offering so many different ways for me to be by the water.

I also love all of the music festivals that happen when summer comes around. Summerfest is one of my favorite festivals because there are so many different types of artists to go see. Listening to good music on a warm summer evening just makes my summer vacation perfect.

I also need to thank you, summer vacation, for letting me spend time with friends. Summer is a special time when you get to see all of your old friends and also some of your new friends too. It always makes me happy when I get to see my favorite people.

The last reason as to why you are my favorite time of year is because I get to spend time with my family. Nothing beats having a campfire or going out on the lake with your loved ones. Family makes summer vacation even better because you get to spend time and make memories with them.

So thank you, summer vacation, for everything that you have to offer.