Ah, summer. That magical stretch of time when students temporarily forget to do long division and teachers vanish into thin air like overworked wizards. With two months of “freedom” ahead, students everywhere craft ambitious bucket lists, filled with dreams, goals, and the occasional unrealistic expectation that this summer will somehow be the most productive one yet.

At the top of most students’ bucket lists, is the desire to get in shape. The motivation hits hard in those first few days of summer. There’s usually one enthusiastic gym session, full of hope and inspirational music. But then comes the soreness and suddenly walking up the stairs feels like climbing Mount Everest, and lifting a water bottle is basically weight training. Many wisely change to more attainable workouts, like stretching in bed or counting trips to the fridge as cardio while others valiantly try jogging. Still, even the effort counts. If you’ve ever broken a sweat while carrying five grocery bags in one trip, you’ve achieved peak human performance in my book.

Then there’s the well-intentioned plan to read more books. A truly noble goal—after all, what’s more sophisticated than curling up with a good book and pretending you understand metaphorical symbolism? The summer reading stack grows quickly, with titles selected from bestseller lists, library displays, or “books that make you smarter” Pinterest boards. But let’s be honest, by week two, those books often serve as excellent phone stands or coasters for iced coffee. Eventually, the reading goal evolves into binge-watching subtitled shows, which technically counts as literacy if you squint hard enough. After all, you’re reading something… even if it’s just who betrayed whom in a drama show.

Of course, no summer would be complete without the plan to learn a new hobby. This is where the creativity really starts to sparkle. Some pick up instruments, strumming chords and notes, creating a lively atmosphere in their homes. Others dive into painting, baking, or even origami—which sounds peaceful until you realize folding paper precisely is harder than it looks, and now your floor is covered in misshapen cranes and one very dramatic papercut. But even if the final product is questionable, the process is full of charm. There’s something deeply rewarding about discovering you’re not the next Picasso and being totally okay with it.

Then there’s the dream to travel and explore somewhere new. For some, this means a grand family road trip; packed cars, snack stashes, and ambitious plans to bond over nature and board games. These trips start with excitement and end with at least one “If I hear Are we there yet? one more time…” moment. For others, the great summer expedition might involve finally walking to that slightly-further Taco Bell down the street. Same thrill, significantly less packing. No matter the destination, it’s the change of scenery that counts—even if it’s just a different parking lot.

And let’s not forget the ambitious money-making schemes. Students often begin summer with entrepreneurial visions, lemonade stands, babysitting, lawn mowing, dog walking, maybe even launching a small online business. But somewhere along the way, the business model shifts from “start-up” to “please just let me sleep in.” Ultimately, many teens settle for pocket money in exchange for unloading the dishwasher or occasionally acknowledging chores. Financial independence? Almost. But hey, everyone starts somewhere.

In the end, not every item on the bucket list will get crossed off which is perfectly fine. Summer isn’t about hitting every goal or turning into a productivity machine. It’s about taking a breath, making memories, doing a little, laughing a lot, and just being. Whether you ran a mile, read a whole book, or simply became best friends with your couch, you’ve had a summer worth smiling about.

But don’t worry—there’s always next summer. The list will be more reasonable. Probably. Maybe. Okay fine—don’t count on it.