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SBU | Life > Experiences

My Summer 2026 Bucket List

Madelyn Skender Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Every summer, I seem to make a wildly unrealistic bucket list. I have goals of doing things which are just, well, unattainable. This summer, though, I decided that I would try to curate the best (and most realistic) version yet. I may be biased, but I think I did a pretty amazing job.

1 Go on a solo date

I think that there is a certain power and peace that goes along with spending time with yourself. For so long, I believed that I would dislike doing anything on my own – but recently, I have been making it a goal to spend time with myself. Over the summer, I would like to continue this lifestyle, by taking myself on a few solo dates. This might be trying a new coffee place, reading at the park, or going for a walk while listening to a podcast by myself. I have begun to value my alone time, so I am really looking forward to crossing off this bucket list item.

2 Go to a concert 

Last summer, I ended up going to a few concerts with some of my close friends and I truly had the BEST time! This summer, I want to continue the tradition. I love dressing up with my friends, taking cute pictures, and singing my heart out to all of my favorite songs. My guilty pleasure is buying cheap lawn seats at the Darien Lake Amphitheater and spontaneously going with my friends! 

3 Have a beach day 

I, personally, love the beach. While I am not always one to jump in the ocean or lake, I do really enjoy tanning with my friends. One of my ideal summer days would definitely consist of laying on the beach, blasting my favorite summer playlist, and soaking up the sun.

4 Road trip

Unfortunately, most of my close friends that I have made at college don’t live super close to me. So, I definitely plan to drive around the state and visit them all at some point! I know that we will have lots of fun adventures to pursue as well! 

5 Watch the sunset 

I am lucky enough to live close to a beautiful pier. I always enjoy driving there with the windows down, my favorite ice cream in hand, blasting my favorite music. My friends and I will all get out of the car and watch the sunset on the water. Could you really even begin to ask for a more perfect summer night?

While I hope that I will be able to achieve everything on this bucket list, I have realized that it’s going to be okay if I don’t. Ultimately, this summer I want to prioritize the people and moments that matter most in my life. If that means I don’t get to check everything off this list, that is okay! I just want to have a summer I will remember forever.

Madelyn Skender

SBU '28

Madelyn is a new member of the St. Bonaventure Her Campus Chapter - this is her first semester writing for them. She plans on writing about a variety of things - College life, friendships, her go to coffee order, and everything in between.

Madelyn is a Sophomore at St Bonaventure University, majoring in Adolescent Education with a concentration in English. She also works at the Writing Lab on campus, offering support for students taking English classes. She has enjoyed observing in the local Middle and High Schools in Olean as a part of her education courses as well. She is very excited to be joining Her Campus so that she can build connections and friendship with other girls on campus!

Outside of classes, Madelyn likes to study in the library, go running on the trail behind campus, work her part time waitressing job, and run her small nail business. She also enjoys spending time with her friends, reading novels, and watching her favorite movies/tv shows.