my rules for a middle school summer

how i am trying to simplify life and focus on what matters

This summer, I am trying to go back to my roots. By that, I mean I am trying to simplify life as much as I can. And when I think of simplifying my life, I think of summertime years ago, back when I was in middle school. Quite literally everything was so much simpler back then — I spent every day hanging out with friends, focusing on my hobbies and doing things that genuinely made me feel good inside and out.

Somewhere throughout the years, without realizing, I lost sight of what these types of summers look like. I am determined to make this summer feel more like it did back then, full of wholesome and whimsical activities.

To make that happen, here are my rules for a middle school summer:

• sign up for a summer reading club at my local library

  • Growing up, I was obsessed with the summer reading program at my local library. I loved the idea of reading books and collecting stamps and prizes when I read a certain number of books. I love Goodreads, but nothing compares to the feeling of my librarian giving me a stamp back in the day.

• have a sleepover with a friend and pull an all-nighter (just one)

  • I miss the feeling of laying on your couch with your best friend, watching movies and sharing secrets until the sun came up.

• drink a slushy at the movie theater (instead of soda)

  • Something about sipping on a cherry slushy and snacking on popcorn while watching the newest movie in a cold movie theater makes me nostalgic in the best way.

• go to a midnight premiere of a movie

  • I used to do this all the time for all the major franchises — the Twilights, Hunger Games, and Divergents of it all — and I felt on top of the world, and there was such a strong sense of community that I yearn for today. So many blockbuster films are releasing this summer, so I want to do this again!

• have as many picnics in the park as possible (and bring an ice pop or watermelon each time)

  • At least once a week, you can find me perched in the park with some snacks and a good book. This summer, I want to make sure I keep my picnics up, but with the refreshing summer snacks I used to love, like ice pops and watermelon.

• buy some print magazines and circle everything I want to buy

  • I used to love browsing magazines, making vision boards, and circling clothes I wanted to buy but never actually would.

• call my friends on the phone (or mail them letters)

  • I have been trying to mail more letters and talk on the phone more — they both feel so much more personal and intentional than texting.

• drink more lemonade

  • Last summer, I stopped mid-run to pay a visit to a homemade lemonade stand. More of those, please!

• carry card games to play instead of scrolling on my phone

  • I own so many conversation card games (ex: we’re not really strangers and The Hygge Game) and I have started to carry the cards in my purse when I know I will have a long train ride! It has been so much fun to play with whoever I am traveling with, and it keeps me off my phone.

• always carry a journal and glitter gel pen with me

  • I love love love carrying around my Muji pen and Moleskine journal everywhere I go. Not only does it keep me off my phone, but I love having a designated place to write my thoughts at any time of the day.

• wear my hair natural

  • I have naturally wavy hair that I barely know how to style. This summer, I want to embrace my natural curls the way I used to.

• do more crafts (especially watercolor paint)

  • Enough said — I used to have so much fun painting and coloring back in the day.

• browse the mall instead of online shopping

  • In middle school, there was nothing more fun than meeting up with your friends and wandering aimlessly around the mall. I’m determined to do this again any time I can. It will always be much more fun than online shopping.

• find a show to watch every week

  • I miss when shows would premiere new episodes weekly! I know that some streaming platforms and some shows still do release once per week, so I am on a mission to find one to look forward to each week this summer.

• ride my bike around my hometown

  • Back in the day, I used to ride my bike as much as I could. This summer, whether it is on a Citi Bike or on the bike I keep in my hometown, I want to ride when I can.

• wear sparkly eyeshadow

  • This is another thing I used to do all the time but have slowly stopped unless it is for a special occasion. I want to bring sparkly eyeshadow back in a casual way again!

• wear clothes that feel like me (including my Italian charm bracelet)

  • This past winter, I donated a bunch of clothes I no longer wore. I want to donate even more this summer, and only keep and wear the items that I am excited to put on my body.

• bake cookies more than buy them

  • Self-explanatory, but I miss baking fresh cookies. Cozy summer nights are the perfect time to start again.

• move my body in a way that feels authentic

  • I want to dance and stretch and go for walks on the beach.

• write substack posts like I would write in my diary

  • I want to write Substack posts the same way I used to confess to my diary — vulnerable and honest.

• make a “summer anthems” playlist

  • I used to make a playlist every single summer that I would listen to on repeat. It was full of upbeat and fun summer songs and made me so happy.

• keep social media off my phone and only use the internet when I am home

  • I have had all social media (besides Substack) off my phone for a very long time now. Recently, I have also been reminiscing on the days of a designated “home computer,” and this summer, I want to pretend that my laptop is my home computer and really limit my time online.

When I stop and think about it, all of my rules really have the same key themes:

• slowing down

• being present

• living authentically

• acting intentionally

• ditching my phone

I am excited for this summer in a way I truly haven’t been in years — I hope I make the middle school version of me proud.

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Until next time!

XO, Daelyn <3