When was the last time I rolled down a hill? I thought to myself in late spring, when, at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, I watched a pair of young siblings holding hands, throwing their bodies into the grass, and tumbling down the grassy green hill. I smiled at their giggling, easy to dismiss as the natural state of kids that young. But then, answering my question, I remembered being fourteen, doing the exact same thing, rolling down the hill outside my house with my best friend the summer before high school.

We had been too old for that, maybe. But we had put it on our summer bucket lists. So we had to do it. That was the last summer I had made a bucket list, wanting to commemorate my final summer before starting high school. I remember it in brief flashes of equally juvenile adventures: Throwing water balloons, face painting, rom-com marathons, and staying up to watch the sunrise.

“Lately, I felt as though my summers have faded into one brief blur of hundred-degree weather and promises to make the most of it that never come to fruition.”

While I still consider myself to be a summer girl, I realized in that moment that none of them have been as vivid as that one. And lately, I felt as though my summers have faded into one brief blur of hundred-degree weather and promises to make the most of it that never come to fruition. In the past few years, I haven’t taken summer as seriously as I did those years I was making bucket lists. As a freelancer, I even found myself working on my vacations — the pictures of me in Europe or beside pools in Long Island were always ruined by my bulky laptop in my tote bag or the sight of me hunched over by the pool with everyone else inside of it.

As I’ve gotten older, summer has become an abstract concept rather than something to savor. Instead of embracing the season and all the things I love about it, I make vague promises to enjoy it, but spend every day pulled away by responsibilities and distractions. This year, I decided I wanted to be intentional about the summer I wanted to have — so I took drastic measures. I made a summer bucket list.

The case for making a summer bucket list

Making a summer bucket list is more than a nod to nostalgia. Thanks to my Capricorn placements, I make lists for everything. And I knew that to take my summer seriously, I wanted to approach it with the same tenacity I approach the rest of my life. Like scheduling fun and rest into your daily calendar, I was determined to schedule time to enjoy my summer.

“Research supports this: The best way to achieve your goals is to write them down, make a plan, and get your support system on board.”

The research supports this: The best way to achieve your goals is to write them down, make a plan, and get your support system on board. Therefore, instead of setting an abstract goal to be more present or promising myself to log off more without making a plan to do so, I decided to turn to the tried-and-true method of creating a bucket list.

I wasn’t the only one who undertook this endeavor this summer. The idea came from my own reminiscing, but was reinforced by multiple Substack articles and social media posts about people I admire undertaking a similar mission. If it was the summer of anklets and flip flops, it was also the summer of bucket lists. Surrounded by an echo chamber of support and enlisting friends to join me on this whimsical mission, I was even more motivated to make a bucket list and tick off as many boxes as possible.

To make the most of summer, I split my bucket list into three sections:

  • Easy wins: These were things I could do with minimal effort, but often neglected due to a busy schedule or because they weren’t my priorities. I wanted to make sure that even when I wasn’t embarking on flashy adventures, I was making the most of summer by doing the little things to make it special. These included going to my favorite workout classes with friends, trying new coffee shops and studios, dining al fresco, having a pool day or a picnic in the park, and hosting friends at my apartment for a movie night.
  • Adventures: These were things that took a little more planning, a little more effort, and often required friends to come along. Some of these were things I’d done before and wanted to try again, others were brand new experiences. They’re the typical “bucket list” experiences: Things that come with a lot of pictures and memories, but take a little push to plan. And I wanted to lean into them. They included things like taking surf and tennis lessons, attending a pool party or a barbecue, going to karaoke with a big group, going to an outdoor movie, taking a class in something, and more.
  • Tourist vibes: My third category was strategic. I knew I would be traveling to Copenhagen and London with friends this summer, as well as taking visitors around my home city of Los Angeles. I wanted to plan for my biggest bucket list items in each of the cities I was travelling to — then also keep that same energy at home and lean into being a tourist in my own city. In the cities I was visiting, I picked out the museums, restaurants, and activities I wanted to try, then I did the same for Los Angeles, making reservations at restaurants I’d been meaning to try, booking architecture tours, exploring new neighborhoods, and going to my favorite museums — even if they were a little out of the way.

Just writing down the things I wanted to do made one thing obvious: Most of them were about connecting with friends and experiencing culture. And a lot of them were pretty achievable. Looking at the list in front of me, I realized what I really missed about summer was the permission to slow down and make time for the things and people I love. I didn’t want to skydive or explore uncharted terrain. I mostly just wanted to hang out with my friends and do things that spark inspiration, instead of hunching over my laptop.

With my intentions set and my bucket list in front of me, I decided that even if I didn’t check off every box, I wanted to take the mentality of intentionality, connection, and inspiration with me in everything I did. And with that in mind, I charged into summer with a plan.

How to actually do the things on your bucket list

Like I said, I have Capricorn placements, so I was very strategic about committing to the items on my bucket list. While I wanted to leave room for spontaneity, I know how quickly you look up from your laptop to find chilly weather and earlier nights at your door. So, the first thing I did after making my bucket list was look at my calendar and slot in each of my activities.

“The first thing I did after making my bucket list was look at my calendar and slot in each of my activities.”

In the spirit of planning for my summer the same way I plan for vacations, I looked at reservations I could book in advance. I checked the social media of my favorite LA restaurants to check for special summer events and pop-ups — a waffle pop-up at my favorite brunch spot, a special seasonal Corn Matcha Latte at a local coffee shop. I checked the dates of the museum exhibits and book readings. And I made sure to text friends to ask about their availability so we could get plans on the books — because one thing about adult friendships is you’ll play tag forever if you don’t make a plan. 

What I found most motivating was momentum. The very next day after making my bucket list, I checked off the first item: Do an architectural tour in Los Angeles. Architectural tours of the Barragan houses are always my favorite parts of visiting Mexico City, so I decided to replicate that experience in Los Angeles, which is famed for its unique and historic architecture. After scribbling at my desk all night making my bucket list, I woke up early the next morning to visit the Neutra VDL House in Silver Lake. I’d passed it all the time, but never taken the time to tour. Though I almost didn’t drag myself out of bed, it was so worth it. The tour itself was invigorating, but even more so was being surrounded by tourists, people who were visiting my city and didn’t take the magic for granted.

Getting summer started early with that burst of inspiration kept me going, even through the stressful seasons. It got me to look up from my laptop and go to a museum on the opposite side of time that ended up being one of my favorite moments of the summer. It got me to say yes to invitations to parties where I didn’t know many people and left with new friends. It got me to wake up earlier to meet friends for workout classes, and go out at night to spend the day with friends and not with my laptop.

I found that interspersing my easy wins with my big adventures gave me something to look forward to every week without tiring me out or making my bucket list feel like an obligation. One day I went to a new coffee shop alone, the next I wrangled together a big group of friends to do karaoke at my local dive bar. Every day felt different. So my summer felt longer than it had in years.

“I found that interspersing my easy wins with my big adventures gave me something to look forward to every week without tiring me out or making my bucket list feel like an obligation.”

After dedicating time to having an intentional summer, I realized that the reason I love the season so much isn’t necessarily just because of the weather (though that is part of it), it’s because it’s the season I spend most time devoted to the people and things I love. Though most of us don’t have the luxury of summer vacation anymore, my bucket list reflected my desire to set aside my responsibilities (not abandon them completely), and get back in touch with the playfulness and lightness that defines who I am at my best.

Now, as fall falls upon us, I am resolving to treat this season with the same intentionality. I’ve decided to lean into the feeling of back-to-school season just like I leaned into the memory of summer vacation. I’m making reading lists, blocking out time for cozy hobbies, and making a fall bucket list that includes things like writing letters, having a hot chocolate night at home with friends, and embracing the dark academia vibes at museums and libraries.

After a summer embracing whimsy, I am determined to keep in touch with my inner child through every season — the girl who was excited for the possibility of every day and not deflated by the monotony of routine, the girl who looked for creativity and inspiration everywhere, the girl who rolled down hills for fun.

Langa Chinyoka is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a writer and strategist based in Los Angeles.