If you aren’t already in the thick of it, we university students are coming up on the time when there’s what seems like an endless stream of schoolwork to be done, whether that be writing essays, completing research papers with a double-digit page count or studying for final exams. When faced with such an overwhelming and stressful time, nothing helps me more than reminding myself that we’re on the brink of summer — a sunny, warm and school-free summer. However, sometimes the idea of summer alone isn’t always enough to push me through the final stretch of the school year. Whenever I need an extra boost of motivation, I love making a summer bucket list to tangibly lay out everything I have to look forward to in the coming months.
At its core, a summer bucket list, or any bucket list for that matter, embodies anything and everything your heart desires, both personally and professionally. I like to think of my bucket lists as manifestation tools of sorts, embodying all the goals I’m setting for myself and hope to achieve. Goals can be as simple as trying a new food item, as lavish as travelling to a destination in Europe with your friends or as extreme as sky diving. You can long to acquire a new skill like mastering the game of chess or develop an existing skill like cooking. There are endless possibilities for what you can include on your summer bucket list. There’s no idea too small or too big, as long as you believe you can achieve it within the timeframe you give yourself.
As some inspiration, a simple goal on my own summer bucket list is to read more. I recently fell back in love with reading (this may or may not be a shameless plug to my last article), but it’s a hobby that I often sideline between the business of life. Having it on my summer bucket list is a gentle nudge to prioritize activities that bring me joy. Moreover, a more extravagant goal of mine is to go on a graduate trip to a warm destination with a beach. I can be pretty tight with my money, but I definitely have a travel bug. After four years of hard work paying off with a degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, I want to treat myself to a memorable and enriching experience. And especially since Canada is so cold four to six months out of the year, I would love wherever I go to have super hot and sunny weather that I can enjoy on a beach!
Trust me, I know that university and all the work that comes with it can seem insurmountable at times. That’s why it’s so, so important to find ways to motivate ourselves and keep us pushing through. A summer bucket filled with all your desires and goals can serve as a reminder that there’s life beyond academic stress.