how i want to spend the summer

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hellooo, it’s me.

we’re nearing the end of may, and I thought now’s the perfect time to write this post – right when everyone is drained from work and school. and I, too, am very, very exhausted. however, to keep myself going, I have something to look forward to: summer is almost here!

first of all, I just want to say, I’m not the biggest fan of summer. I’ve NEVER been a fan of summer, I can’t take any heat. but then I realized I wasn’t putting in any effort to make it enjoyable in the first place. thinking back to the past, all I recall is staring at the waves crashing with no purpose (that’s not me saying I regret doing so, it helps you clean up your mind, like a lot.) I started to wonder: how would it really turn out if I tried to embrace the summer a little?

we had an early vacation back in april: we traveled to egypt and I had never been there before. I spent almost a week resting, snorkeling through the red sea, exploring a new culture, noticing the little things and appreciating them, and feeling more alive in general. then it hit me: it was the vibe of summer, the smell of clear salt water, the crazy kinds of fish, spending your time enjoying everything shamelessly, being away from the troubles of life, that allows you to start fresh. not a new chapter, a whole new book if necessary.

and guess what? you don’t actually have to travel between continents. you don’t have to be at the sea, and you don’t have to go on vacations. all you need is some peace. just get out of the house, find a nice park, try to connect with nature. not a fan of that? try sitting on the balcony or in the garden. even a silent bathroom, where you spend hours lying on the cold tiles, can be helpful. let the sunlight in. let the cold water rinse it away. let go of the weight. no one has to know what you’re doing, at least for once. smile if you feel like it, observe your reflection. there are definitely some details there you’ve been missing out on.

switching back to the topic, ever since I’ve come to that realization, I’ve been plotting my summer. this probably doesn’t interest many, but if you’ve been miserable and lost in thought like me, maybe I can inspire you a bit. for the journal people like me, I recommend making an entry of a summer bucket list (a realistic one, of course). coming back to it and ticking things off, you’ll realize how well you’ve spent the season. you could also create a pinterest board to help you envision things.

my goals for the summer:

• socialize more – that, as far as I can go as an introvert.
• stay up having deep conversations, sometimes maybe with myself.
• consume physical media. not just to get away from the madness of social media, but also to relive the old times. it hits different when you own the media you love. I’ll burn many CDs for the ones I love and myself. what’s prettier than having your summer soundtrack in your hands?
• get a cheap digital camera and take pictures of everything. if you get it, you get it.
• read until my eyes are exhausted. my reading goal for this year is 40 books, and I’m just barely finishing the 8th one. maybe that goal is a little bit unrealistic, but I’m determined. I just love everything that comes with reading: learning new things, admiring the way words can be used, and escaping into a different world.
• learn some hard-to-play songs on my guitar. I want to improve myself more, not just rely on easy chords and improper strumming. I want to practice fingerpicking until my fingers feel numb.
• write somewhere quiet. write poetry, songs, stories, anything. I’m planning to write in a separate blank notebook just for this summer and see if I can fill the pages.
• participate in something!
• find a new hobby. I can never have too much of them.
• meet up / have sleepovers with friends.
• play under the sprinklers until I’m soaking wet.
• get a new ear piercing! probably a helix.
• get a haircut and dye my hair in a different style this time. changing things up a little.
• craft things or make some new bracelets.
• lastly, not a goal, but I’m really looking forward to the ed sheeran concert I’m attending at the end of june! my family will be with me too, which makes it even more special, because they’re technically the reason I call myself a sheerio today!

this was it for today! I’m very grateful to have you here, if you just read the whole thing. let me know about your plans in the comments! stay safe. I hope you have a wonderful summer!

see you on the next one xx

I forgive it all as it comes back to me.

Ethel Cain, Sun Bleached Flies

cover pic credits: https://pin.it/1JnWZmPNj

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