My For Your Page is currently filled with others around my age yearning for summer, specifically a New England summer. The videos usually start with a clip of Cape Cod and a quote from “The Summer I Turned Pretty” before the audio changes to “Brazil” by Declan McKenna, and more clips of Cape Cod are shown. This idea of a “New England summer” means the aesthetic of Cape Cod and the islands. Its bright colors (always blue), the smell of salty air, and the warmth of the sun. It’s weathered siding, hydrangeas, sailboats, and seafood. It’s an idealistic view of what summer in New England looks like.
As someone who’s lived in Massachusetts her whole life, I’ve been to the Cape before. The TikToks are not actually too far off in terms of the aesthetic of New England beach towns, but of course, every trip is what you make of it. Despite having been to Cape Cod and the islands before, and not having this picture-perfect, idealistic trip worthy of a viral TikTok, I want to go back and live this life forever. These TikToks have me checking Airbnb and Zillow daily. I, too, yearn for a summer I won’t have but want for the rest of my life. It’s been my escape from school and a not-so-warm start to spring.
If you too want to imagine a picture-perfect New England summer to escape the reality of homework, midterms, and papers, just scroll through the “New England summer” tag on TikTok. Just make sure you keep track of time!