The summer before leaving for your first year of college is always filled with mixed feelings. Although you’re excited to start a whole new chapter in your life, you’re sad to leave your home, family and friends behind. It’s especially hard to imagine saying goodbye to your friends, which is why it’s essential to use this summer to spend time with everyone you love. Creating a “last summer” bucket list with your friends will be a fun and creative way to make the most of your summer together and to make as many memories as possible before you all part ways for college.
1. Make a scrapbook
Making a scrapbook together is a fun thing to plan for the end of your summer. This will be a fun keepsake to take to school and look back on whenever you’re feeling a little homesick or missing your friends. To make it even more fun, add in a bunch of snacks and a cool music playlist!
2. Craft decorations for your college dorm rooms
There are so many different crafts you can make for your rooms! Even though you all might not be going to the same school, it can be fun to create decorations together and feel involved in the new chapters you all are taking on. Plus, whenever you all get to your dorm rooms, you can send pictures of each others rooms to see how each of your decorated with the crafts you made together.
3. Have a bonfire on the beach
This can be such a fun get-together because you can invite all of your friends and just hang out on the beach. It’s a blast to do at night, because the waves are calming and cool, and the bonfire adds a chill vibe to your get together. It’s the perfect way to have a big hangout and a last hoorah before you all part ways.
4. Paint a rock
You can usually find these huge rocks around beaches or lakes. It can be so fun to paint a rock with your friends, and each sign your initials. Then, whenever you all get back from college for breaks or summer vacation, it can be cool to come back and see what you all have painted.
5. Binge-watch a Netflix show together
Watch a show you’ve always been planning to watch together, but never got around to it. Make a whole night of it; get in your pajamas, order a pizza and get a bunch of snacks. Don’t forget to take a lot of pictures for your scrapbook! “I’ve loved watching How I Met Your Mother this summer, it’s the perfect show to binge watch with friends,” said Emma Lazar, a sophomore at the University of Illinois. Or, shows like Greys Anatomy, Orange Is The New Black and Parks and Rec can all be fun shows to binge watch with friends.
6. Go on morning walks
Sometimes it’s just nice to be with each other’s company and doing something where you and your friends can just talk. The thing you’ll miss most about your friends is chatting face-to-face with them about anything and everything. Morning walks are a great way to start your day and give you a chance to just talk about life with your friends.
7. Plan a road trip
Even if it isn’t too far, this will be so fun because you get to explore new places with your friends right by your side. Go to a major city that’s in your state, and try different restaurants, go to museums and just explore new places. And you can’t forget to make an awesome playlist with all your favorite sing-alongs to blast on the way to wherever you decide to go, whether those be old Disney channel tunes or new hits on the radio.
8. Go to a bunch of concerts
See which of you and your friends’ favorite artists are coming into town and go! Music is a great way to connect with your friends and to make memories to last a lifetime. You can always make the best memories at concerts, because you get to see your favorite band or person live, with your favorite people. You can either choose to go to music festivals like Warped Tour, Lollapalooza, Country Thunder, etc. or do some research and find free concerts. That way you don’t have to break the bank by buying a bunch of concert tickets.
9. Watch the sunrise
Waking up early can be a pain, but watching a sunrise is one of the most beautiful things, and it’s a moment you want to share with your friends. If possible, go see it on the beach, which makes it even prettier with waves crashing in the background and the sun reflecting off of the water. It’s a special moment.
10. Make a promise to each other
Moving away from each other will be hard, and college is so busy that it will be even harder to keep in touch. Make a promise to each other that no matter what, you won’t get mad at each other for getting wrapped up in your new lives but you will try to make an effort to talk to each other at least once a week. And if that doesn’t happen, at least once a month. Just because you don’t talk every day doesn’t mean you aren’t best friends, so make it clear that no matter how many times a week or month you talk, it won’t affect your friendship. Maybe try making a calendar to keep track of keeping up with each other.
Make this summer the best summer you possibly can with your friends. You’ll miss them during the school year, but spending the time you have in the summer will make saying goodbye a little easier since you made the most of the time you had. There are so many things to put on your bucket lists, do your best to make one that’s realistic, fun and memorable.