As we wrap up the end of the Spring semester, it is easy to get weighed down by the stress of moving out and saying our goodbyes to our friends and our classes and the life we’d grown to love this school year. The thought of my freshman year of college being over already is way too crazy for me to process and when I think too much about how quickly the time has flown by, I immediately get a raging headache.
Not to mention, unfortunately for me, as I’ve grown up summer has become more of a source of stress than a source of relief. I know that seems backwards, but I am someone who very much values structure and routine in my life in order to function properly, so fall, my favorite season, being the start of a new school year always secretly makes me a little relieved to get into the swing of a schedule.
Of course I don’t hate summer, who could, and I always end up making amazing memories with my friends and family, but the beginning of the summertime always makes me anxious for what’s to come. Will I feel busy and fulfilled enough? Will my friends be around to entertain me? Will my vacation have nice weather the whole time? There is very little I hate more than feeling bored, and although summertime promises endless free time to stuff with fun activities, sometimes that can feel like a really tall order to fill. There is so much pressure to make every summer “the best summer ever” due to iconic early 2000s movies and music and, especially nowadays, social media taunting us for not making the absolute most of every single summer day.
Whether this is a common feeling or I am just a little stir crazy, we’re going to try to combat this stress by remembering to make the time to take care of ourselves this summer and maintain a positive mental space in order to really make the most of the season. For starters, try to remember that social media is not an accurate portrayal of someone’s everyday life. People only prefer to share the highlights of their summers to their Instagram and although that can make it seem like they’re out making memories every night, that just isn’t the truth and those influencers you love have boring days, too. You can even take a break from social media altogether if you think it will help stop the feelings of comparing yourself to others, whatever you need to feel fulfilled this summer without feeling any fomo.
One of my favorite ways to unwind and reset my head is to reconnect with my right brain and do something creative. I spend so much of my free time journaling and following writing prompts as a way to cure some boredom and feel productive during the day. I also think that getting yourself a coloring book is one of the best ways to unwind during the day. Adult coloring books are so beautiful and intricate and I could spend hours focused on one design without noticing how much time has passed. As long as I have a colored pencil sharpener and a summer playlist to listen to, I’ll be happy for hours so I seriously recommend getting yourself a coloring book, even if it’s one that’s technically for children, as long as the design interests you. This is your reminder to start a summer reading list because I know there are some titles that have caught your eye recently but you just haven’t had the time to sit and read, so take advantage of the free time and lose yourself in a new book.
It can also sometimes be difficult to coordinate summer plans with friends. It seems like schedules are always conflicting in some unfortunate way despite all the free time. However, if coordinating spontaneous plans proves to be a struggle or source of stress, dedicate more time to planning hangouts further in advance to make it easier to round everyone up and give yourself something to look forward to. Whether it’s an event with a predetermined date and time like a concert or a movie showing, or an event meeting time curated by your friend group like a day trip to a nearby lake or a picnic in your neighborhood, dedicate some energy to set plans in advance to avoid the frustration of conflicting schedules.
I would also recommend getting a calendar, online or physical, for all your favorite people to share to very easily coordinate availability. My friends have used TimeTree before if you need a specific app to try (we honestly haven’t touched it in a long while but do as I say not as I do).
The feeling of having to leave college for the first time can really hurt. This place has been your new home for months now and it can be really tough to look back at how quickly time has flown by without getting nauseous, but summer holds so much opportunity and time to wash away that grief for another school year gone so let’s put in the effort to shift our mindsets and work hard to make some soul-cleansing summer memories. I’m feeling more positive and excited for the months to come already!