The Unconventional, Not-your-Pinterest Summer & Post-COVID Bucket List

Many of us have gotten into the groove of quarantine and have found a new semblance of normal, but finding real relief in our situation can often be difficult. Canceled vacations, graduations, weddings, birthdays, and a myriad of other mundane pleasures leave a void that no amount of Zoom calls and free time for movie marathons can fill. This isn’t to say quarantine can’t be utilized as a meaningful time for self-betterment and reflection, or that many of aren’t in need of a rest and re-boot, but, to put it plainly, it still sucks. 

People are starting to make their summer bucket lists in anticipation of the number of cases dropping and stay at home orders being lifted. Whether in a cute little bullet journal or in the daydreams rattling around in your brain, you, too, probably have a post-COVID bucket list. But does going to a drive-in movie and getting a killer tan really qualify as a climactic celebration after all that we’ve been through? 

If you’re drawing a blank or hoping that the internet won’t recommend that you build a blanket fort for the up-teenth time, then this is the bucket list for you. 

1. Assignment, document, or letter bonfire 

Before you bust out the songs and S’mores, consider burning old math homework or some papers for work that you no longer need as a satisfying and symbolic way to mark the advent of summertime. You could instead, or also, write a letter to someone who’s wronged you, renouncing any pain or power they have over you. This could even be to yourself, reflecting on what you want to do better, commending how far you’ve come, or shaking away the haze of being isolated for so long. 

2. Electronic cleanse  

Even before they became the only things to keep us company, most of us will admit we’re overly dependent on our devices. After so long cooped up inside, we owe it to ourselves to spend 24 hours or longer without our phones, computers, televisions, etc. Having a no technology policy on a weekend trip, during a sleepover, at a family gathering, etc. could also act a refreshing re-boot for everyone. And, if a whole day seems daunting, maybe implement a weekly challenge where you don’t ignore your screen time or have to go technology-free an hour before bed/within an hour of waking up. 

3. Random acts of kindness 

It’s heartwarming to hear all the support going out to doctors, nurses, delivery men/women, grocery store workers, etc. who are keeping our world in orbit during these trying times. After living a piece of history becomes just that, history, why not try to embody a little bit of kindness and selflessness that we appreciate right now? Pay for someone’s coffee or an expired parking meter, paint rocks with positive messages on them, and leave them around the neighborhood, leave letters of encouragement on people’s cars, etc. 

4. Pull an all-nighter and then watch the sunrise

Quarantine has been a great chance (and excuse) to take mid-day naps. For others, maybe it’s already an excuse to pull an all-nighter, but when has the concept ever gotten tired? The same could be said for watching the sunrise. 

5. Leave periodic notes in library books 

All the bookworms out there aren’t missing nail salons and an abundance of toilet papers so much as we miss public libraries. E-books are a great supplement, but many share my sentiment that they can’t compare to the real deal. If you want to spread the love of literature, why not jot down your thoughts and stick them amongst the adventure books provide? Personally, I’m estimating that I’ll use 8-10 regular sticky-notes and a handful of flag-markers with phrases like, “OMG”, “yes!”, and “ugh…”

6. Messy Twister/Pinterest-esque activity

We’ve all seen the aesthetic photos of abnormally fit and attractive 15-year-olds playing Twister with color-corresponding shaving cream (use food coloring, or replace shaving cream with skin-safe paint), swimming at midnight in pools full of glow sticks, snacking on clear fruity popsicles, and nothing short of a myriad of cute little crafts. Not all of us are young, thin, and conventionally attractive, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get in on the fun. 

7. Chalk a whole driveway

Even if your artistic abilites end at stickmen, make a stickmen army. 

8. Local vacation

You do not need to drive halfway across the country. Take a day trip to “the city.”  Get the girls together, or ask your family to consider, a beach day, a weekend trip to a nearby resort, a day at your state or region’s amusement park, a museum/aquarium tour, etc. Find something nearby that would take your summer/post-quarantine to the next level and really commit to making it happen. The biggest reason that plans fall through isn’t a tight budget, strict parents, or whatever other excuses pop out of the waterworks. It’s a lack of commitment, planning, and sometimes not even asking. 

9. Start your fitness journey

This is the sign you’ve been looking for. A fitness journey can sound really imposing and intimidating, but if you start small, you’ll have built a strong foundation and seen some results by the end of the summer. Bettering your relationship with food and loving the exercises you’re doing is what’s most important. We have this preconceived notion of “healthy”. Running on a treadmill at the gym, eating salad. If those excite you, more power to you, but taking a stroll around the block every day before or after work, trying out yoga, or pilates classes, starting to drink the proper amount of water, start boxing, replacing chips with air-fried popcorn, dancing around your room until you sweat, that is healthy too. You need to wean yourself off junk food and find substitutes that satisfy you in that same way, without clogging up your arteries and causing you to put on pounds. If all you accomplish is being properly hydrated and going to a spin class every Saturday, that is enough. That six-pack, that flat stomach, that ten pounds, they are instant gratifications. Looking good feels good, but happiness is imperative. 

10.  Make a kite

This is kind of specific, but I was browsing Google Images for inspiration and came across kite flying quite a few times. I amended this after hearing about writing wishes on homemade kites and letting them go. Even if 3rd grade was the end of your relationship with glue sticks and color pencils, this crafting project is very simple, as are the materials. If not on hand, picking up some string next time that you or a parent is at the grocery store shouldn’t be much of a hindrance. Of course, you can always buy a kite if you prefer. 

11.  Fairs and festivals

This is such a staple and a given, but I had to include it. Summer is not superlative without eating egregiously bright yellow popcorn at the peak of a Ferris wheel. Ask friends who’ve been in the area for a while what they recommend, or consult Google for something close by. Consider making this the year that you woman-up and ride that terrifying attraction, or win a teddy bear so big it’s giving Costco competition. Maybe you’ve never stopped by the set for that one artist, or have passed by the same stand every year and never tried the food. Maybe try a renaissance festival. Whatever your aspirations, get a group together and make it happen. 

12.  Get back into an old hobby

Used to play the piano? Quit gymnastics and can no longer touch your toes? Now is the time to rekindle those old passions. Get up and do it. Hold yourself accountable by telling a friend, allocate time every couple of days, put it on your to-do list, and give yourself a little reward for each week or milestone. Remind yourself why and just how much you’ve loved it. Remember that twenty minutes a day can make your day.  

13.  Join a group/organization 

Start a book club or community garden, join a school sport that starts during the summer, start volunteering on weekends, find a pen pal, get involved in community events, etc. Restoring a sense of connection after a time like this is so refreshing and necessary. This is a great way to establish a constant while also switching things up and find a sense of productivity concurrent with your joy. 

14.  Solve a Rubix cube/learn a basic skill 

Can’t sew back on a button? Does your culinary experience equate to Mac and Cheese? Is changing a tire a foreign concept? Learn what’s long overdue. Along the same lines as Rubix cubes, you could learn how to juggle, snap, do a cartwheel, french braid your own hair, simple card tricks, etc. 

15.  Experience ideas

Paintball, bowling, water park, pottery/painting class, cooking class, go-karting, laser tag, bungee-jumping, cliff jumping, indoor skydiving, language class, pool day, body painting, henna tattoos, wine tasting, mani-pedis, massages, karaoke, attending comedy shows, knitting, gardening, starting a podcast/blog, speed dating, movie marathons, concerts, seeing or performing in theater, trampoline park, farmer’s market, canoeing, boating, fishing, art fairs, reading, writing contests, poetry readings, bird watching, hiking, biking, aerial silks, meditation, bonfires, catching fireflies, tree climbing, baking, factory tours, roadside attractions, going to the zoo, and so much more. 

The best summer ever is a mindset as much as it is a compilation of experiences.