The Ultimate Summer Bucket List
Summer lovers know well the sunflower effect, how a person is drawn to the season like a blossoming flower. It is nature’s cycle that has sunlight filtering clear through the clouds, bringing with it a warm breeze. Unless you’re walking on the shore and letting the sand run through your toes, you should read ahead, and I’ll help you build the ultimate summer bucket list, where I provide suggestions and give you fun ideas to enjoy the season.
Personally, changing seasons bring delight to me, and the beginning of the summer feels like the sunrise. I spend time planning on how best to make the summer season memorable. Now and then, I pen down my thoughts about places to frequent, activities to indulge in, and new cuisines to try. I believe my thoughts over the years have translated into this list.
Without further ado, here’s the ultimate summer bucket list for the coming months:
- Take Your Fitness Routine Outdoors
While I am aware {as are you} that bucket lists do not remain ultimate forever, I would like you to use the novel ideas listed here and try new things this summer. On that note, how about bringing a change to your fitness routine?
Have you been using an air-conditioned gym? Try running in the morning or take an outdoor fitness class {while ensuring strict infection prevention and control measures are in place}. Like most metropolitan cities, Bengaluru changes face to the warm busy city starting before noon and going until late evening. Hence working out outdoors may not be practical during those hours. So, why don’t you start with the sunrise? I have always been an early riser and I quite enjoy starting my day with a neighbourhood walk. Early to bed and early to rise, I trust you know how the phrase ends.
- Cultivate a Herb Garden
You need not be a staunch advocate of the green way of life but, trust me, gardening is very empowering. In addition to being a low-cost solution to redesigning your kitchen or balcony, growing your own herbs gives you a fun hobby and you also get to be a plant parent ~ watching seedlings grow into healthy plants. Gardening brings about a sense of regularity as well. I hardly need to say it ~ when you have a gardening routine, you take care of your health and that of the Earth. Is there anything more significant than that?
- Toss up a Healthy Salad
Why change things that happen only when the sun is up? Replace dinner with a fresh salad, perhaps. I like to give my stomach some rest from hot and spicy Indian foods and detox with summer salads. The recipes are unlimited, and so are the possibilities. Last week, I prepared an exotic salad to celebrate delicious seasonal produce, using roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, tangy feta, and big pearls of couscous!
- Try a New Food/Read a New Book
Old is gold when it comes to food, but we have only so many summers. Why not try something new? Maybe you have never had sushi, or perhaps you would like to try oysters {delivery orders with Zomato/Swiggy?}. There is a possibility that you will discover a delectable delicacy that gets your taste buds addicted. You shall then realize the potential of being adventurous with your palate.
In my opinion, summer and books are inseparable ~ you can just relax on your porch, sip some lemonade, and devour a bestseller. I always make a list of the books I’d like to read during warm summer afternoons and balmy evenings. And, the great aspect about reading is that you can lose yourself in a great story by a new author. Technology has made me evolve into podcasts, but the joy of reading into the afternoon while getting some sun is simply incomparable.
- Take a Detox from Technology
Now, I know that’s asking a lot, but technology has invaded human life, and we’re addicted to social media. Just think about it. When was the last time you went without your phone for a couple of hours? What better time to take your screen time seriously than this summer? Yes, your ultimate summer checklist simply must include this detox because technology involvement really needs to be balanced. Ditch your phone, ride that bike, and go knock on your friend’s door, face mask in place and sanitiser in hand. Enjoy a face to face conversation while sipping {or not} on a refreshing beverage. As the saying goes, “No man is an island entire of itself.”
- Declutter your Closet
I truly believe that clothes should be cycled every season. With each subsequent summer, your light and airy clothes are taken out while the winter ones are put away. I take this time to do a little closet decluttering by identifying clothes that are not to my liking. I either donate these or sell them. Donating to a charity brings me joy, while selling is the equivalent of getting a discount on my new summer dress for which my closet now has dedicated space.
- Host a Barbecue Party
An afternoon soirée with friends and family, united by fresh food, cool beverages, and great music ~ I find it a fantastic way to take a break from technology and meet my loved ones in person and create beautiful memories. What more could you ask for in this world, really?!
Because warm outdoor weather BBQ parties have no specific recipe ~ if you are the host, do it your way. There are numerous ways to grill that meat/those veggies; be the inventor of your own specific style. The same goes for drinks ~ mix them as you like. Whether your vibe is more low-key with casual denim cut-offs or high-key with elegant all-white summer attire, you set the stage with your hosting skills. I personally do not go by convention because that’s run of the mill. My summer soirée should have the scent of my personality.
** You should convey ground rules to your guests as a host. Small gatherings can require a lot of preparation and effort in the coronavirus age, but seeing friends will help to relieve anxiety in these stressful times.
- Rooftop Season!
Recently, I, along with my husband, decided to spend the afternoon dining ~ with all the pandemic rules in place ~ at a rooftop restaurant that afforded a beautiful view of the city. Sitting at a height feels like a privilege that you are a part of the skyline, doesn’t it? Although this time of the year can get uncomfortable even for those with an extreme love for summer, we, however, enjoyed a few drinks at the alfresco area before venturing into the restaurant to devour delectable hors d’oeuvres. Tip: it’s just a matter of doing some research so you can hop one every weekend!
- Get to Know Your Own City
Few people know their city well. Are you among those who could become five-star local guides on Thrillophilia, who could review restaurants and give expert tips for the tourist attractions in your city? If not, explore the unexplored. The status quo is boring; exploration brings the thrill and the joy of discovery. Ask yourself, do you know your town as well as you know your neighbourhood mall?
Take time on the weekends and transform yourself from a resident of the city to a tourist. There are enough landmarks, unknown streets, and local markets to explore that you never knew existed. {It can be done ~ with plenty of caveats, of course.}
- Go on a Road Trip
Be it solo driving or one with your best friends; there is a unique feeling driving on empty stretches by the countryside. Go hard on the accelerator with the music turned up and the windows rolled down and let the adrenaline flow! And, accomplishing this bucket list goal doesn’t mean that you have to set a destination on your map. The roads are open and continuous ~ keep going as long as you are comfortable; stop where you see a beautiful sight. Let the sunshine brighten your day and inhale that fresh air on your sunny drive through unknown roads. At the end of it all, you would have created a new memory.
- Be a Good Samaritan
The world’s a big mirror. Your acts of kindness get reflected and come back often with their own reward. Do something nice for a stranger ~ it’s a natural high that brings inner peace. Or ~
- Feed the needy
- Visit a nearby animal shelter and help take care of the animals
- Pay the highway toll for the vehicle behind yours
- Donate clothes you can do without
You could even sign up as a volunteer for an NGO that works towards causes that you believe in. There’s no exhaustive list of the good you can do in the world. When you volunteer your time and effort towards what you believe in, there is an inner energy that keeps you going. Because doing a good deed, especially on a warm and sunny day will give you warm memories to keep delighting you like sunshine when you think about them!
To note: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued recommendations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I propose you implement the same guidelines while making the requisite precautionary adjustments to meet your specific needs and circumstances.
To conclude: Summer’s a season that brings with it lessons that last a lifetime. I often find myself contemplating the things I would want to do this season; many entries are put on my list every year; some are crossed while others remain. I hope the ultimate summer bucket list featured ensures that you enjoy your summer to the fullest so that, by the end of the season, you may confidently say, “This has been the best summer of my life!”
What’s on your bucket list this summer? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!