I saw a TikTok recently claiming: “The reason we don’t have fun anymore is because we no longer do summer bucket lists.” The vibrant, doodle-filled, 100-item long “to-do lists” of fun activities to keep your summer occupied. And wow, were they right.
When I was younger, I loved making summer bucket lists around this time of the year. These aesthetically pleasing bucket lists always populated my middle school VSCO feed and summer-themed Pinterest boards, and towards the end of each school year, I would sit down with a box full of colorful markers and make one. My summer bucket lists were basically old-fashioned vision boards — tactile imaginings of how I wanted my summer to look and feel like, with concrete goals that felt more aspirational than concrete. I would think of all the random things I wanted to do, like “go paddleboarding” or “have a lemonade stand.” I don’t know when I stopped this tradition, but at some point, I did.
As I end my first year of college, I can say with certainty that I’ve fully transitioned into a new period of my life. As scary as that sounds, I feel reassured and confident about it — I enjoy being in college, having a summer job, feeling “grown up.” But I also feel like, because of those things, I find myself disconnected from my youth, sitting at the crux of my childhood and my adulthood. I just watched my sister graduate college; in a little over three years, I’ll be next.
So as I go into summer, I’m thinking to myself: how do I want this transition of my life to look and feel like? Who is the person I want to be in over three years from now? How can I become (or make steps to become) that person over my summer? And more importantly, how can I still make my summers fun while growing up?
This bucket list will absolutely not become a to-do list. Do I plan on running a half-marathon over the summer? Maybe. Maybe not. Do I plan on mastering croissants? Likely no, given that I work a full-time job over the summer. But aspirationally, I am a master baker in my future — so hopefully, I’ll dabble in some pastries this summer. But above all, I plan on having fun. Lots and lots of fun. So I’ll just keep my summer bucket list to that.
Stay aspirational.
1. Watch all of Sex and the City.
2. Go to a fair.
3. Drive-in movie.
4. Sunrise swim.
5. Sunset swim.
6. Work a shift at my local soup kitchen with my mom.
7. Plant something.
8. Make pasta from scratch.
9. Try hot yoga.
10. Ride a ferris wheel.
11. Bake croissants.
12. Run a half-marathon.
13. Go to the aquarium.
14. Boat day!
15. Play in the rain.
16. New tattoo(?)
17. Learn to crochet.
18. Go to a wine and painting class.
19. Go to a concert!
20. S’mores.
21. Read fun books.
22. Read books that make me learn.
23. Find a new podcast.
24. Read more news.
25. Find time to meditate.
26. Eat more whole foods.
27. Bowling.
28. Play beach volleyball.
29. Discover a new passion.
30. Cook my family dinner one night.
31. Clean out junk in my room.
32. Go through the clothes in my closet I don’t wear.
33. Make popsicles.
34. Get sushi.
35. Make a flower bouquet.
36. Have a self-care day.
37. Get a penpal to write letters to.
38. Write said letters.
39. Debate running said half-marathon from #12.
40. Remake dalgona coffee and try to like it.
41. Have a no electronics day.
42. Read ACOTAR(?)
43. Thrifting day.
44. Travel to a nearby big city for the day. (NYC!)
45. Plan a trip with a UCLA friend.
46. Go on a hike.
47. Go camping for a night.
48. Movie marathon.
49. Do tie-dye.
50. Learn to sew.
51. Do more creative writing.
52. Clean out makeup bag and brushes. (This might be a real to-do.)
53. Organize playlists.
54. Paint rocks.
55. Participate in a beach clean up.
56. Go to K-BBQ.
57. Set off fireworks!
58. Make a vision board for the school year. :)
59. Make a root beer float.
60. Drink more water.
61. Try making ice cream.
62. Give out a compliment a day.
63. Pet as many dogs as I see.
64. Learn some constellations and go stargazing.
65. Make a time capsule.
66. Organize my camera roll.
67. Plan out decor for my room next school year!
68. Have an old movie marathon.
69. Go-karting.
70. Play a board game with my family.
71. Karaoke night.
72. Make every day count. <3