Letting go of the endless summer afternoons
This summer has been a whirlwind; I know I’ll still be talking about it in 30 years. You know how everyone talks about the summer of 2016 like it was the best time of their life? I honestly can’t remember what I was doing in summer 2016 off the top of my head, and while I’m sure it was great, summer 2022 has taken over as the new summer to be nostalgic for.
I had zero time to breathe in the first half of the summer; I left for London the day after my best friends graduated and went straight into 40 days of nonstop movement. We partied, traveled, explored, and learned a lot (that’s the whole reason I was there!). I ate countless pub meals and spent endless hours on the tube. And I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
And then my dad and brother met me in Europe! It started off with them almost missing our flight to meet up in Barcelona, and I was fully prepared to head to Spain by myself. But they made it! There are few times I’ve been happier to see them and a hotel shower. I loved our London homestay, but the bathroom was less than ideal. My first shower in Barcelona was heavenly. My brother and I befriended the locals and spent a night following them around town, and overall, I loved the city.
Our next stop was Mallorca; I had only heard of it because Kyle and Yolanda went there on RHOBH. The island quickly became my favorite place in the world. I’ve decided that’s where I’m retiring to one day. It was beautiful and peaceful and every other good adjective I can think of.
The last place on our list was Lake Como, which I have dreamed about visiting my entire life. It lived up to every expectation, and I feel so sappy about it. However, we did bike around the lake and hiked up a mountain, and I didn’t enjoy the physical activity as much as I liked drinking wine on a boat in front of the Versace house. I think Lake Como was the peak of my life.
On the way home, I had to split up with my family and sprint through the Frankfurt airport alone to make my connecting flight. My luggage got stuck in Frankfurt, and further proves my point that you should never check a bag. My mom picked me up and our first stop was Chick-Fil-A. I needed it. The next few days were a blur of packing and unpacking, making my rounds saying hello to everyone, and getting ready for Vegas.
My mom brought me to Las Vegas for my 21st birthday and proved, once again, Tina never disappoints. We partied hard, gambled a little (I won!), and had a ton of fun. We went to the Grand Canyon in helicopters and then she had bottle service waiting for us at a club. Best birthday ever.
And as quickly as my traveling started, it ended, and the second half of my summer has been much more laid back. I’ve enjoyed catching up with my friends and family and doing absolutely nothing for a little bit. I feel so sappy and thankful for this summer and everything it entailed. In a couple days I start my senior year and my summer is officially over. It’s a hard goodbye to such a great little era, but I’m excited about what’s up next. Once again, I’m grateful for my little outlet to document my life.
