For our Her Campus end-of-year party at TCU, we decided to complete a summer bucket list activity. My bucket list included 10 specific activities, but which ones did I actually do?
Read by the Pool
Reading by a pool was actually one of the first things I did when I got back to my hometown from TCU. I read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, and ideally, I’d be able to give a review, but I stopped reading once June rolled around, and I still haven’t finished the book. I will say, I like it so far and can’t wait to see how it ends; I’m just not into reading as much as I used to be, unfortunately.
Tan
Between reading by the pool, playing golf, and fishing, I would say I have achieved a decent tan. At least, more than I have in previous years. But because I was so pale to begin with, I don’t know that anyone would think that I’m really tan. Besides me, of course.
Oil Paint
Painting used to be a big hobby of mine, and I was really excited to get back to it once I got home. However, I didn’t physically oil paint. Instead, my mom introduced me to the app Procreate, and I found that I really enjoy digital oil painting. There’s no mess to clean up afterward, and you don’t have to mess with any paint thinner, and it’s much easier to correct mistakes. I think one day I will bring out my actual oil paints again, but this summer was the summer of digital painting for me.
Hike at Kanopolis State Park
If you know anything about my home state, Kansas, you probably know that it is very, very flat. However, about an hour and a half north of my hometown is a massive lake with hiking spots and lots of elevation changes. It’s called Kanopolis, and with hiking being one of my favorite hobbies, I’m eager to visit. However, I didn’t get around to it this summer. Luckily, it gets to stay on my bucket list for next summer.
Catch a Big Bass
I know that “big” is subjective, but I would say that I definitely caught a couple of big bass. I never take anything to measure my fish, but judging by the pictures I took, I would say that my biggest catch was about 14 inches.
Go Thrifting
Between garage sales and thrift stores, I found a lot of great second-hand items this summer. Some of my favorites include a collection of the four cutest Christmas mugs, brand new golf balls for a dollar a piece, and a $0.27 skateboard for my boyfriend. Why $0.27? The woman selling it was so desperate to get rid of it that I just gave her all the coins in my purse, and she called it even.
Take Lots of Film Photos
This was an activity I was sure I would complete. I brought my film camera with me on two separate occasions, but I never pulled it out to actually take photos. Guess I was too busy living in the moment.
Bake
The first thing I made this summer was macarons. And, if I’m being completely honest, I failed pretty badly, but I think I made up for it with my other creations. I also made some great cupcakes and peanut butter cookies. The key to great peanut butter cookies is to include the mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s as chocolate chips.
Watch Good Movies
This summer, I watched seven movies, which I know doesn’t sound like a lot, but for me, it is. In order from my least favorite to my most favorite, I watched Happy Gilmore 2, Joker: Folie à Deux, Say Anything, Annihilation, Joker, Barbarian, and Happy Gilmore.
Zoo Trip
I genuinely believe the zoo in my hometown is one of the best in the country, so of course I wanted to visit it this summer, just like I have during past summers. Luckily, I was able to go twice! My zoo runs a promotion where tickets are only $5 on Tuesdays in July. One week, I went with my boyfriend, and the next week I took my little cousins.
Closing
While I only crossed 8/10 activities off my list, I would still say this was a summer well spent. Can’t wait to see what next year’s bucket list looks like!