The often-overlooked magic of a Summer List (and how to build your own)

I hate the feeling of forgetting something.

Like when I’m heading out for vacation but I’m filled with a nagging feeling that I’ve forgotten to pack something important (that I’ll only remember right when I need it most.)

Or walking into a meeting and realizing I left an important document at home.

Then there’s the sinking feeling of standing in the kitchen, ready to start whipping up an exciting new brunch dish, and realizing I have forgotten to acquire an unusual but essential ingredient.

I’m left with either trying to contrive a workaround and hope it doesn’t matter or figuring out how to jump through some weird kitchen hoops and make something else with random pantry items and whatever leftovers are currently lurking in the shadowy corners of the refrigerator.

I never want to feel like I’ve forgotten something, especially if there is the remotest of possibilities that I have the power to prevent that situation from occurring.

Most of the time, while I do have the ability, I apparently have forgotten to exercise it because of the, um, interestingness of life. (At least that’s what I’m calling it.)

So yes, my frustrating fault.

This is why I spent part of this past holiday weekend putting together a list of what I want to make sure I don’t miss this summer. I don’t want September to roll around and experience the sinking feeling of having forgotten to do things.

So I started putting together my Magical Summer 2022 List? to make sure I don’t miss out on any of the summer’s opportunities.

A Summer List is a road map to follow to ensure I don’t miss any of the attractions along the way.

When my husband and I take road trips, I always check to ensure I don’t miss anything on our route-of-the-day. Last year we saw the World’s Largest Buffalo and the Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow, on the same day as we drove through North Dakota.

And while admiring larger-than-life domesticated bovine statues may not be your idea of a good time, I’m happy we didn’t miss them, which we easily could have as we made our way across the state.

The stops were laugh-filled. We got great, goofy photos and enjoyed a break from driving. Now we have memories of something other than the monotony of Interstate 94.

It’s the same thing with summer events and activities. The opportunities to enjoy them are there; you just need to pay attention, so you don’t miss them.

A couple of weeks ago on our podcast, my co-host Lee and I discussed the importance of not letting summer slip through our fingers like warm sand on a sunny beach and how a Summer List can prevent that.

As we learned in the pandemic, we are not always promised anything. This summer’s activities may not be around next year. As depressing as it might sound, as each summer passes, kids grow up, and we get older. We only get so many summers, so why not do everything we can to make sure each summer is special?

Thus the Magical Summer 2022 List? was born.

When I made my list, I started looking for the things I wanted to make sure to do. And because I was looking, I began to see them. If I wanted my summer to be magical, then I wanted to make sure everything was on my list.

To be clear, the Magical Summer 2022 List? is not a to-do list. That would infer that I need to accomplish everything and diligently cross it off my list.

Oh, my god, no. I don’t want that.

I wrote down what I want to remind myself is possible during the three months of summer that are just now getting started. It doesn’t mean I have to do all of them. I just want the information all in one place.

Call it efficient, call it organized; I want to do what I can to make my summer memorable and not regret overlooking anything.

The short version of how I made my list:

• Think of the things I most enjoy doing in the summer.
• Think of things I’ve said I would love to do in the summer.
• Think of how I could enjoy any or all of those things.
• Put them all on a list.
• Enjoy my summer.

The extended version of building the Magical Summer 2022 List?:

• I set a timer for 30 minutes and brainstormed ideas for summer activities and events.
• I captured all the ideas on a piece of paper (or you could use a computer document.)
• Once I felt like I had gotten everything written down, I did some research. I checked out local news rags, magazines, and websites to see what was planned in my city, nearby towns, or places I’ll be visiting. (Or places I’ll now be visiting just to attend an event they have planned.)
• I noted all the things that have even the slightest bit of interest to me and included every pie-in-the-sky idea that popped into my summer-focused brain.
• I put down ideas for events I could host (such as a happy hour, a potentially sticky and messy neighborhood ice cream social, or a patio potluck).
• I put down ideas of things I did in the past and thought were great and can’t wait to do again (including parasailing, long beach walks, and of course, baseball games).
• I put down ideas of things that I always think would add to my summer but somehow forget. Things like “have coffee on a weekday on the front porch (instead of in front of the news)” and “have a picnic at the bay for dinner.” Nothing too out of the ordinary but so easy to forget during a busy week.
• I put down ideas I would love to do (but wouldn’t really be distraught if I missed them), like a massive street or the county fair or a movie in the park.
• I wrote down things I think I’d like to try but I’m not fully committed to (take tennis classes, try yoga in the park, or go deep-sea fishing.)
• Put them all on a list.
• Enjoy my summer.

The key to all of this is dreaming big and wildly. I gave my internal censor the day off and let my ideas flow. My main thought was: what would constitute a wonderful and, yes, magical summer for me.

(Here’s a bonus tip: The whole “Magical Summer” theme? That’s just me. You go and pick your own theme. Hot Metal Summer. (As in music, not metal park benches in the middle of July.) Summer of Fun 2022. Summer of Unintentionally Humorous Incidents I Don’t Want Anyone To Know About. It’s your summer; pick whatever theme you want.)

When I had all my ideas written down, I categorized all the events, activities, and opportunities. This will make it easier, I hope, to plan things out (again, with the efficient thing.)

I’ve also left some blank spaces on my list because I’m reasonably sure that not all the opportunities for summertime fun have been planned and scheduled yet. Some of my categories include:

• All-day activities
• Morning activities
• Evening activities
• Old favorites
• New activities
• Things to do with friends
• Things to do alone
• Freebies

I’ve also put my list somewhere where I will be able to see it every day (which, according to Lee, is essential, as is having each member of the household make their own list and having a master list for the family.)

With my complete list (well, complete for now) and an amazingly comprehensive collection of sunscreens, I am ready to bring on my magical summer.

The chances of me missing an event are significantly reduced, as is the probability of me being disappointed in September because I forgot to do something I wanted to do this summer.

What about you?

Now is an excellent time for you to pick a theme and start putting your list together. It’s not too late. You haven’t missed any sort of deadline. I put my list together during the holiday weekend because I was getting into the spirit of summer; there’s still plenty of time to get yours together

Why not take some time right now and start gathering your summer ideas?

Minimize regret, and maximize fun by planning ahead and putting your summer road map together now so you don’t forget or miss even one bit of summer fun.