Summer Highlights

One of the best things about not being in high school anymore (and let’s be real- I could write a whole essay about why I’m glad high school is over) is that summer vacation lasts an entire four months, rather than a measly ten weeks like it used to.

But with all of those days of sunshine and freedom it’s pretty easy to slip into a complacent mindset, wasting the day watching Netflix and eating way too much ice cream straight from the container.

Luckily, I didn’t have one of those summers (okay, maybe a few days were like that). Having a job that lasted eight weeks certainly helped fight the urge to just laze about, but more than anything, having a group of friends that were willing to be a little bit spontaneous and adventurous made this one of my best summers ever.

 And what better way to share my most fantastic summer moments with you than by narrating some fun pictures here on my blog?

Can you believe I had never been to Provincetown before this summer? It's such a unique place- it feels like a small island, even though it's connected to the mainland of Massachusetts. 

I participated in the AIDS Walk for the second year in a row this summer. I'm glad I took the time to support such a great cause by walking a 10k with my bestie (and picking up some a lot of free food along the way, of course).

A lot of my summer fun these past few months is completely attributed to my mom (aka my best friend). Since the fam is pretty much all "grown up" at this point (hah), it's gotten much more difficult to get us all together for extended vacations. This year, we nixed the big vacay, and opted for a little bit of New England sightseeing, while helping my mom research for her newest book in the process. This photo was taken at Hildene, the Lincoln family Home, in Vermont.  

My social life basically revolves around bonfires. It's free, fun, and the smell of the burnt wood that stays on your clothes and hair the next day? Nothing can beat that quintessentially summer-esque scent.

Because I go to school so far away from home, having people from uni coming to visit Boston is basically just a fantasy. I mean, you can't just pop over for a weekend! I was really lucky, however, because one of my good friends from my running team was in town before I started working at camp! It was really such a pleasure to be able to show off my favorite city. And I was a pretty good tour guide, too, if I do say so myself.

One of my biggest successes of the summer? Polishing up my cooking skills! I can't wait to start cooking in my flat next year- though I'm sure I won't be doing anything as fancy or time intensive as this particular meal was (in case you're wondering- clockwise from top- chicken piccata, wilted spinach salad, sundried tomato orzo, and lemony asparagus).

I absolutely love having a summer birthday (if only for the great weather in June). My 19th birthday definitely goes down as one of my favorites. And the sparklers definitely made it extra special!

So I actually completed something on my summer bucket list! (come to think of it, I actually can cross off a few of those items) Hiking in the Blue Hills on Fourth of July was one of my favorite adventures of the summer. Can you say #outdoorsy?

Nothing that happened this summer can beat the gratification I felt when I received a call from the Boston Globe saying that they would like to publish my article. After about a month of hard work (and seven whole drafts), I was able to see the final product of a dream that I had always had. And I'm sure I'll remember those "pinch me" moments forever.

This swan floatie made me so happy. I mean, Taylor Swift has one! It's not technically mine (nor is that my pool), but just getting to hang out on one of these guys made me feel like a celebrity. 

I can't talk about my summer without mentioning working at camp! I honestly think that every year at camp has just gotten better. This year I felt like I really clicked with my co-counselors, who I can certainly also call my friends! Eight weeks with up to 17 four-year-olds seems like a lot at first, but it really was all of my co-workers that got me excited about coming to work each day (oh, that and getting to eat JP Licks ice cream during the seventh week).

So this is a snapshot from my current New England vacation through Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Western Massachusetts. I know this picture is on my instagram and my Facebook but I'm absolutely obsessed with this little six week old goat named Alice from Mount Hope Farm. She certainly stole my heart. 

And here I am later today at Winvian Farm in Connecticut! The places we've been visiting for my mom's new book have each been really different- ranging from quirky and quaint, to just downright luxurious. Winvian Farm definitely falls under the category of "luxurious" with its beautifully decorated private cottages and incredibly elegant farm-to-table dining. This final trip has been a fantastic way to finish off the summer!

  

The end of the summer as a college-student is always strange: it doesn’t end all of a sudden, with everyone going back to school all at once. Rather, it kinda just fizzles out as everyone leaves for their respective schools at different times.

Being one of the last people to leave is tough- you see your home friends having fun at college, and you’re not left with many people to go get froyo with during those last few days of summer. And once it’s your time to leave, there’s hardly anyone around to give you a proper sendoff.

But while the last week or so of summer is a little bittersweet, I can’t help but feel satisfied with how much fun I’ve had these past four months. And, after all, I have a whole semester to look forward to! In case you’re wondering, it’s just a week and a half now before I leave for school.

Edinburgh, I’m comin’ for ya.