If you're an avid Twitter user like me, you understand the significance of the summer of 2016. If not, let this widely circulated meme speak for the group consensus.
Clearly, Summer '16 was humanity's peak.https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/a57mtj/it_...
Gucci Mane's Waybach blasted through our car speakers as friends and foes alike celebrated lyrics like "I'm the bestest, I'm the freshest ever stepped on the scene."
There was something about the hot, sticky air and long humid nights that fostered a sense of communal celebration, particularly for my overly enthusiastic peers. We'd just turned sixteen which meant drivers licenses and a new-found sense of pseudo-adulthood that came with the freedom of cars.
To be honest, remembering summer '16 gives me a sense of nostalgia for a time that seemed simpler. It was before the public found out 21 Savage was British. It was before Kanye started doing... whatever Kanye is doing. And maybe most notably, it was before the devastating 2016 election.
Conclusively, my sixteen-year-old self was content with her life.
The running joke (as seen above) is that life peaked in Summer '16, and has since hurtled downward to an undesirable end.
However, I would argue that Summer '19 is the perfect opportunity to change this narrative, bringing back the quality summer vibes enjoyed across the country way back when. Here are three ways that I'm going to bring back summer '16 vibes, but this time, make them better and boujee-er.
1. Grind during the day, go out at night.
The most important part of a successful summer '19 is having the money to sustain a lavish lifestyle in the future. This means getting a job. Personally, I save fifty-percent of the earnings that I make during the summer for the future. I know that this is a privilege, but I would suggest trying this rule, if it's a financial reality for you. Trust me, you will never regret saving money.
My best friends and I have a well-established routine of working all day and linking up at night. This works well because we don't have to suffer from FOMO during the day since we are all securing the bag.
Oftentimes, we save money by finding free events all over the city. If you keep an open mind, these experiences can introduce you to new pieces of your city that you may have never known about otherwise.
If you don't live somewhere where free events are held frequently, make your own. A good kickback with your close friends tops paying an expensive club cover cost, just to stand around in an awkward circle with a bunch of strangers. Plus, if you hold events at your house, you control the playlist.
2. The playlist is everything.
As alluded to above, good music is essential to a good summer. I hate it when I'm out and feel like I could be a better DJ than the person in control of the aux.
My suggestion is to create a group playlist with your closest friends, specifically for summer vibes. You can create a couple for different moods: chill night driving, hype, in your feelings etc.
Recently, I have been revisiting some of my Summer '16 favorites just to infuse that energy into the beginning of the summer. My recommendations straight from Summer '16 are Change the Rapper's "Coloring Book," Drake's "Views," Frank Ocean's "Blonde," Corinne Bailey Rae's "The Heart Speaks in Whispers" and of course, Gucci Mane's "Everybody Looking."
3. Cherish the moments
Now I know that this one sounds a little bit cringey and cliché. I'll admit, I would probably read it in the voice of one of those wanna-be hippie Youtubers who preaches about wellness and only drinks boxed water.
However, give me a chance to explain why I think this one may be one of the most important parts of genuinely enjoying your summer '19.
I am a firm believer in the power of the present. I think social media "flex culture" can pull us away from living our lives, urging us to focus on what it looks like instead of what it is actually like.
I have found that some of my most enjoyable experiences since being at college have not been captured by the camera, and that's okay. In fact, I sometimes prefer living this way because it means that the only legacy that I have from those times are held in the minds of myself and my friends who experienced it with me.
This summer, I am pushing myself to leave my phone in my bag and focus on fully living in the moment.
Summer is a special time for many college students to be present with loved ones who you can't see during the year. I don't want to waste any of these moments consumed by other peoples' false realities as displayed by Snapchat.
