I knew months ago that I wanted this summer to be one for the books, being the last summer I would spend with a lot of my high school friends. Looking back on it now, I can say that it certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s so hard to believe that it has already come and gone, but some of the memories I have made in the past two months have been unforgettable. This is one of the few summers that I feel like I actually took advantage and made the most of every moment. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Summer 2016 made me gain so much independence. I took the road trip of a lifetime across the country for almost 3 weeks. This is something I would've never dreamed of actually doing right after graduating high school, but with a lot of saving and planning, it happened. I saw places I didn’t know if I would get to see in my lifetime. I was on two TV shows in less than three days and it was incredible. I learned that driving through Kansas is in fact one of the most boring drives ever, and I saw thousands of windmills throughout 16 states. Needless to say, the travels I took this summer were the best I’ve ever experienced.

Another great part of every summer is the small stuff like bonfires, late night drives and of course getting half priced milkshakes from Sonic. It may not seem that special, but you’ll look back and appreciate it at some point. I’m so glad I had so many of these opportunities during my summer. Not to mention it's an Olympic year, and we all know that Olympic summers are better than normal summers.

It wouldn’t be a classic summer without setting aside at least a few days for the lake, baseball games and last minute road trips to random places with friends. This summer definitely taught me that there’s nothing better than making plans at the spur of the moment, because those turn into some of the best memories.

Unfortunately, summer break isn’t all fun and games. Whether you’re taking summer classes, preparing for college with summer assignments or working jobs and internships, there’s always going to be a little bit of responsibility to maintain. I was lucky enough to work two awesome jobs this summer that I loved going to. Unlike a lot of people that work during the summer, I am actually going to miss my jobs dearly.

As I bid farewell to another summer, I say goodbye to some incredible memories made. I’m so glad I had the opportunities to spend time with new friends and old ones I reconnected with. From the nights I spent at work to the days I spent on the road, almost every day of this summer was memorable for me in some way. I don’t know if I’ll ever have another summer compare to that of summer sixteen.