Summer break is finally upon us! After so many months of slogging through lectures and discussions, essays and exams — we made it! And one of the things I’m most excited about for the next few months (other than hitting the beach, of course) is getting to work on some of the personal development goals I’ve set for myself this summer.
I like looking at summer as an opportunity to work on myself by doing things that I don’t have the mental energy for when I’m juggling schoolwork and other commitments. So, here are four of the items that are on my summer 2022 bucket list:
- Revamp my wardrobe
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During the school year, I had so much trouble coming up with outfits that made me feel comfortable and confident. Well, this summer I’m going to fix that! I’ve committed to finally taking the time to revamp my wardrobe. That means donating things that don’t make me happy or that I haven’t worn in years, and it also means building a new wardrobe that will make picking out clothes a lot easier in the future.
One of the reasons I’m really excited about this goal is that it’ll give me the opportunity to be more intentional about what I purchase. Right now, my closet is full of random things I’ve collected over the years, and a lot of them don’t fit well or just aren’t my style anymore (believe it or not, I still have some shirts that I wore in middle school — I know, it’s crazy!). As I get rid of that stuff and buy new clothes, I’m going to really take the time to find sustainable, timeless and well-constructed pieces that will last a long time and help me feel good about myself.
- Establish A Consistent (And Feasible) Workout Routine
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It’s so hard for me to stick with any sort of consistent workout routine while I’m in school. I just get too stressed out and too tired to drag myself out of bed and make it happen (which is totally ironic because exercise helps decrease stress and improve energy levels). So, I’ve decided that this summer I want to design a workout routine that I don’t hate and that’s feasible to continue even after the summer ends.
I think the key here is to be realistic about how often and how hard I’ll be able to exercise: I don’t want a plan that’s too time-consuming or that will make me burn out too quickly. And because getting started is the hardest part, I’m planning to get into the habit of working out regularly now (while I’m relatively stress-free), so that later I’ll have a well-established routine to fall back on.
- Take Time To Travel
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Traveling is one of my passions in life, but I usually don’t set aside the time to do it during the school year. This summer, I’m planning to seize every available opportunity to leave town and de-stress while broadening my horizons. I’ll be going on an international trip in July (Israel, here I come!), but I also want to take lots of small weekend trips — both planned and spontaneous.
There are so many incredible towns around LA that are within driving distance. From San Diego to Solvang to Ojai — there are tons of beautiful places to explore. And although I’ll still have work and responsibilities to take care of during the summer, I decided that I’m going to make time to visit them. It’s just something I need to do for myself and my happiness, so I’m going to prioritize travel while I have the chance.
- Re-Engage With My Creative Hobbies
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Unfortunately, my creative hobbies are some of the first things to fall by the wayside at the beginning of every school year. It’s not something I do intentionally, but it’s easy to look up one day and realize that I’ve gone six months without doing some of the activities that bring me joy because I’ve been too focused on school. But now classes are done and I can finally dedicate more time to hobbies like drawing, baking and playing the piano. I’m eager to lead a more balanced life, and I hope I can continue to do so after summer is over as well.
Whatever your personal goals may be, summer is a great time to work on achieving them. While I’ve selected these four choices to dedicate my energy towards, your list might look completely different. Whatever your summer plans may be, hopefully, you’ll be able to relax and have some fun while becoming the best version of yourself.