REP Summer Checklist!

Hi friends! Nia here. Well, my time here with the REP team is coming to an end, but before I head out for good I wanted to leave you with one last nugget of advice.

Summer is here (well, its technically spring but this is South Carolina) and I know that all of us are ready to take advantage of the warmer nights and sunny days. When I was in high school I went to JROTC summer camps and a summer arts program.  Most summers my family would take a week to go to Myrtle Beach or even Orlando, FL and we’d spend all day at beach. Good, good times. I always wanted my summers to be a time of rest, but I also wanted them to be meaningful. I’d create little checklists of things that I wanted to accomplish, like how many books I wanted to read or how often I wanted to exercise. Yes, most of the time I didn’t accomplish all of my goals, but it’s the intention that counts!

So this summer I decided to revisit that practice by creating summer checklist to share with all of you.  This list includes a bunch of (mostly) free things you can do to make a meaningful summer. Some of the items on this list may seem small, but even the little things can add up to create a memorable summer.

Here are a few simple things you can do to make the best of your summer:

1. Clean up your room. Throw out some junk! Give some things away! Move some stuff around! It’ll be worth it in the end, I promise.
2. Unfollow people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself. Curate your feed to include accounts that help you boost your self-esteem, not bring it down. I personally love anti-diet and body positivity Instagram accounts and one of my faves is @bodyposipanda.
3. Tell someone how much they mean to you. I am a person that really struggles with vulnerability, so I get that this can be a hard one. Sometimes I would rather peel my own skin that to tell someone that I love them. Still, I try to go out of my way to let my family and friends know how much I care about them. So choose a couple people in your life and let them know that you appreciate them!
4. Watch (or re-watch) The Office on Netflix. IF YOU HAE NOT WATCHED THE OFFICE YET, THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. The Office is an unavoidable staple in our cultural sphere. Be a part of our world. Watch The Office.
5. Move your body in a way that feels good to you. If staying active over the summer is something that is important to you, don’t limit yourself to just sweating it out in the gym. Maybe go for a hike or swim laps around a pool? My favorite non-gym workouts are either playing Romeo Santos and dancing bachata alone in my apartment OR playing Meg the Stallion and twerking for 20-30 minutes. A great way to work up a sweat!
6. Pet as many dogs as possible. This one needs no explanation.
7. Try a new recipe to prepare for your family and/or friends. The summer is a great time to either start cooking or improve your cooking skills. I love making sweet treats to share with my family, so I’ll probably make some cupcakes or cookies. And cooking is even more fun when you get your siblings involved!
8. Break up with your trash gf/bf/boo. They’ve been ignoring your texts all year, leaving heart eye emojis under their ex’s pictures on IG, and they never listen to you. Just break up with them and do you for the summer. Do you, boo.
9. Create something. I think we’re all artists in our own way, so tap into your inner artist this summer. Choreograph or learn a dance, write a poem or a short story, sing or rap, or do anything that allows you to express yourself. If you’re feeling brave, maybe share your art with a friend or post it on your social media.
10. Just be kind to yourself. Whatever you do this summer, do it with gentleness and kindness. You deserve! It’s been a long year, so take it easy. Sleep in, eat good food, and let the good times roll.

You’re gonna have a great summer and I already know it! Hopefully this list gives you some ideas on how to make the most of it. Have fun, be safe, and best of luck to you in the coming academic year!

– Nia Avila