I Come Alive in the Summertime

I come alive in the summer. When the sun starts to shine on the regular, I feel like Dorothy and the Winkies who are freed after they kill Evilene in The Wiz. *Cues A Brand New Day.*

Living in the Northeast, especially this past year has meant an endless winter with never-ending cold. Although there are a lot of great places to visit and things to do when it’s cold, I cherish the few months of the year where I can walk out of my door without a coat and stay out until 9 pm with the sun still high in the sky.

Check out what I’ll be up to this summer.

Travel

This summer will bring a ton of incredible adventures. First, I’ll be heading to Italy for almost three weeks. I’ll be starting in Northern Italy in Venice and working my way down to Sicily. July will bring some time to relax and have a great staycation. But I always find a way to make the most of my vacation days so I’m sure I’ll have a weekend getaway at some point. In August, I’m taking a trip to our neighbors up north in Toronto for Caribana Fest.

Adulting

Time to get on my #BossBabe flow. Although I genuinely love my 9 to 5, I’m ready to get on with my life. I’m taking a leap of faith and applying to graduate school. I’ve put together an incredible 3-month study plan as well as a Leslie Knope approved binder of every and anything I need to prepare myself for applying to graduate school.

To take a mental break from studying, I’ve also set a goal to read at least 3 books. I’ve got a long list of books waiting to be cracked open and I can’t think of a better way to spend a day then laying out in the sun, working on my tan, curled up into a good book.

Eats

Unlike the rest of the year, I don’t cook in the summer. From October until June, I cook usually between four and five days a week. I take my meal prep seriously. Once the summer heat hits, it’s entirely too hot to slave over a stove. This usually means my summer is filled with new discoveries in the culinary world that lie beyond my own kitchen.

Culture

I could make this an entire blog post, but I’ll refrain. I’M GOING TO SEE AUBREY AND THE THREE AMIGOS. Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE DRAKE. This isn’t some casual fandom either, this is Day 1, Ride or Die, though Meek Mill and Pusha T beefs, allegedly having a baby mama beefs. I might go out on a limb and say I’d love to fast forward to the end of the summer, but then I’d miss out on all the other incredible activities I’m doing. Drake never disappoints on tour. Also, I’ve already made sure my Spotify premium subscription is paid in full in anticipation for the release of Scorpion on June 28th.

I think at this point my #AwkwardBlackGirl card might be revoked if I didn’t also mention how excited I am that Insecure is premiering on August 12th. Thankfully I’ve already got my HBO subscription on lock. Until then, I’ll be binge-watching the first two seasons to hold me over until the premiere.

I’ll be continuing my Curlfriends Natual Hair Series over the summer as well. Although I slay the hair game year round, it’s no secret that the summer air makes for some of the strongest healthiest hair. Twist outs always stay poppin, and the air always smells of some fruity hair product. Click on to read more about my friends Danielle, Deja, Devon, Tiylaa’, Amanda, and Maidsen.

Last but Not Least…

I’ll be turning 25 this summer. #LeoSeason. Birthdays are sacred beautiful days to me. It’s the one day in the year that’s totally about you. Fun fact, I also share my special day with my dad, and it’s also my parents anniversary — yes three amazing events all on the same day. Yet still, I’m excited about this new milestone in my life. It feels like literally just yesterday I was a bright-eyed 18-year-old eager to tackle college and the world and now, I’m right in the thick of adulthood. I feel like I should have something insightful to say, and maybe when the day gets closer I will. But for now, I’m just looking forward to another quarter century of growth, adventure, and fun.

What are your summer plans and goals? Let me know in the comments below!