This summer is the summer of letting go. It’s the summer of not worrying about the big things in life, but immersing yourself in the present. The year has been rough, but you’ve made it through all the finals, heartbreak, late-night crash outs, friendship dramas and overwhelming changes.Â
So this summer, I want to give you two quotes to live by:Â
“Let July be July. Let August be August. And let yourself just be even in the uncertainty. You don’t have to fix everything. You don’t have to solve everything. And you can still find peace and grow in the wild of changing things.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
“I was made to read books, live by the ocean, walk beneath the trees, and be madly in love.”Â
Scrolling through Pinterest, as a twenty-something normally does, I came across those two quotes and both struck me. I realized that most of my life and summers I’ve been so focused on the things going forward that I bypass the present. In essence, my mindset has always been “well tomorrow will be better so I guess it can wait.” And yet after reading those two tiny quotes I realized how the small things are important too.Â
In college, we are surrounded by people on the work grind. Always yearning for the perfect internship, or the perfect job and in the competitive market it’s so hard to get that perfection. So, this summer isn’t about internships (though it’s not bad if it is), but we need to soak up the sun. There can be no bed rotting because sometimes tomorrow isn’t brighter, so if today is the day then take advantage of it.Â
The future is important, but so is the present. So, if you don’t have a summer internship that’s okay, and don’t let everyone else’s LinkedIn freak you out. You can be happy without one. And if you have one, then congratulations and really be present in all the new things you learn.
Romanticize your life like a movie, allow yourself to take a well needed break from all the struggles of life through nature, family and friends. Grant yourself the opportunity to see yourself now and don’t look back at yourself regretting not living to the fullest.Â
Make some goals for yourself. Create a video diary of all the mundane or exciting moments you have. Put your headphones in and just walk anywhere. Read a new book or try a new cuisine. Play mermaids. Go on a spontaneous trip. Watch all of Harry Potter or Star Wars in one sitting. Literally do anything you desire, because today is the moment.
You might not be able to do the big things, but the small things are entirely possible. Once college is over, the adult world makes it hard to absorb the present, so this summer try your hardest to do so—I know I will.
So, I’m making it a challenge to myself and hoping anyone reading this will too. That this summer will matter, not necessarily in a big way, but in a small way. As anything you do is for you and could be the best moment of your life, if you just notice it.Â
Have a great, meaningful summer.Â