53 days of summer

This morning I woke up knowing I have nowhere I must be and nothing I must do. Today I am a free women – for 53 days. 53 days of summer (roll credits).

I start my graduate scheme in September, leaving me with 53 glorious days to myself. This is the first year in six years when I am in this position. Since college I have filled my summers with internships, volunteering roles, holidays abroad and/or work. But this year I have enough money saved up to last me two months of being purely idle – pure bliss.

That is until I realise this is the first year in six years when I am in this position. And I remember why that is the case. I do not enjoy doing nothing. Through all the stress of overworking and taking on more than I can handle, my mind is at peace. I have a purpose and I feel like I am moving forward. I need to feel like I am moving forward.

I sit here wondering how on earth I will cope. Which is ironic since I have never wondered about coping at times when I was barely coping.

Long gone are the days when everyone is on holiday together – all my friends have to continue working. I have my family, but how many siblings days out will fill up my 53 days without us getting sick of each other’s company – my guess is five.

That leaves me with me.

I wish… I will be spending the summer finding free (or very cheap) ways to have fun.

After my initial panic, I realise there are so many unfinished projects, so many places I want to visit, so many things I want to read. So the next 52 days (or perhaps 51 days if I spend the last one thinking about starting my new career) will be about my adventures (or lack of – my first day will be spent tidying my room!).

And since hindsight is a wonderful thing, and in 53 days I will have just that – here’s what I think I will spend my summer doing:

1. tidying – I am at the stage where opening my wardrobe causes an avalanche.
2. writing – not this blog (well I plan to do that too) but short stories.
3. reading – have just asked my friends for recommendations so I can buy some new books.
4. sewing – I was given a sewing machine a few years ago but never used it. I hope by the end of summer I will have made a skirt.
5. scrap booking – recording down the happenings of this past year
6. picnic-ing – visiting some parks I haven’t visited yet and some of my old favs
7. learning – I have signed up to an Arabic intensive language course.
8. cooking – bengali dishes, I should add. I can already cook pasta and such but am yet to master a good curry.
9. watching – films, OITNB, Suits, Mindy Project, Empire, Jane the Virgin … just so many things.
10. knitting – I learnt how to knit in knitting club last year but am yet to complete anything more than a square bunny. Hoping to make loads of squares so I can get faster, learn various techniques and make a colourful blanket in the process.

Now that my list is all written out like that, it is feeling a little too ambitious – just the way I like things!

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have some time for some summer nights. I’m just kidding – I just wanted an excuse to use this gif –

What are you plans for the summer ? Do you get a summer break?