The Art of Summertime is one of the most beautiful works in my opinion. The different thoughts, actions, and emotions throughout these short months paint their own picture. Instead of worrying about the upcoming school year, we worry about getting caught for sneaking out or just not being able to hang out. Every missed hang-out was a missed opportunity, a brush stroke not struck. A choice made or made not was another possibility leading to thousands of other possibilities. A minute wasted was a minute you’d never get back, a minute closer to the dreaded soul-sucking monster called school. So how did you spend your summer?

If you didn’t make the most out of your summer, what were you doing? If you didn’t get a new scrape, did you even have fun? If you didn’t laugh until the point you thought you were going to die, then what better feelings did you have? If you didn’t spend the last week of your summer reminiscing about the memories you’d made, was it even worth it? If you didn’t live your summer as if it was the last, then you didn’t truly live.

Taking risks in everything you do is an unspoken rule about summer. Whether it’s coming home after curfew, lying about where you’re going, or just letting the wind guide your day. Only during this time, can the presence of your friends alone lead you to do things you thought you would never do in a lifetime. The influence of others is so strong that thinking twice or rationally just flies out the window. These moments are often the most significant. You can get over a fear, or create a whole new one in the span of a few minutes. A sense of courage, that was never felt before, could take over your body. This courage leads to the most unforgettable actions. In summer, you can have fun, without worrying about judgment from others. Your spirit could run wild, and no one could say anything about it. Criticism from parents could be slept off and redone a million times. The smiles on your faces would make your cheeks ache, but every moment would be worth it. The endless cycle of falling asleep smiling, dreaming comfortably, waking up, and making more souvenirs of your summer fills the emptiness that school creates.

The lovely moments of summer result in a large painting, with collections of brush strokes, depth, shadows, light, and more. This was a film that would replay in your mind throughout the whole school year up until you could do this all again. So live your summer, or just your life in general, to the absolute fullest, until you can’t anymore. Make every moment worth it and don’t waste a single second. Wasted time turns into regrets and regrets turn into longing. So go out there, and make memories.