Where You Can Find Me in Summer 2024
To be completely honest, this is the only blog topic that I can passionately write about right now. Summer is right around the corner, and recently I’ve been spending my classroom hours day dreaming about where I’ll be in a few weeks. While I don’t want to wish away the rest of my senior year, thoughts of what lies ahead have been getting me through the current stress around college decisions, finals, and AP exams. Here is where you can find me after May 19th!
- Huntington Swim and Tennis Club
Summer means outdoor swim team. This will be my tenth and final season on the Huntington Barracuda swim team, and I couldn’t be more excited. My neighborhood pool is whe
re I spend most of my summer weekdays and weekends; I start with swim practice from 7 to 8am, and then coach the rest of the swim team until 11:30 am. Usually, I follow that up with little kid swim lessons at noon and lifeguarding in the afternoons and evenings, if not a swim meet. Huntington is pretty much my home for the summer, but I find that I really don’t mind it. Spending my days in the sun and near the water with my friends and a bunch of little kids is actually really fun, and getting paid for it isn’t too bad either.
- Washington State
Vacations are another thing that I’ve really been looking forward to. Each summer, my family has made it tradition to visit at least one national park. Last summer, we made it to quite a few, since the Grand Canyon has many smaller parks surrounding it. We all pile into the minivan and make our way across the country to a beautifully serene park that we get to enjoy for a week. We hike, cook, and live without the chaos of work and every other stressful element of everyday life. This year, we are going to Washington State to see Mount Rainier and the North Cascades. We usually don’t venture that far west, so I’m excited to see a different kind of area of the United States. Additionally, my uncle lives in Washington, so I’ll get to hang out with my cute little cousins. My grandparents, my other uncle and his family, and my mom’s cousin’s family and parents are flying out to see us there as well; it’s going to be a big family reunion.
- Hawaii
I’ve never been outside of the United States, and I know Hawaii is a part of the US, but I’m counting it as a new adventure because it’s unattached from the only continent I’ve set foot on throughout my lifetime. The trip is with my dad’s side of the family, opposed to my mom’s, who we are seeing in Washington. However, Hawaii is also going
to be a massive family reunion, as we are traveling with my family, my grandparents, my uncle, and my cousins. The trip is in honor of my aunt, who really loved islands, especially the Galapagos. Hawaii was as close as we could get, but I’m still super excited. We have lots of hikes planned, in addition to seeing waterfalls, snorkeling, and kayaking.
- Target
With college coming up, I’m getting excited to start shopping for dorm room essentials. In middle school, I was obsessed with dreaming up dorm room organization hacks, picking out the perfect throw pillows, and stringing fairy lights above my future loft bed. I must admit, I’m less enthusiastic about the whole dorm decorating process now, since I’m realizing it’s quite a pricey endeavor. However, I’m still looking forward to taking my sisters to Target and picking out everything I’ll need to survive next year at Macalester.
- Indiana Dunes / Starved Rock
For the last two summers, my friends and I have made it a tradition to take a day trip together. Two years ago it was Indiana Dunes, and last summer it was Starved Rock. Who knows where we will end up this year, but either way, I’m excited for a day trip with my friends. I think camping at Illinois State Park would be a fun experience, but I have yet to convince some of my friends to tag along on that excursion.
- Naperville!
With college on the horizon, I’m making it my goal to savor the time that I have left in Naperville this summer. I’m looking forward to neighborhood bonfires, bike rides with my family, movie nights with my friends, and ice cream runs with my sisters. I know that these are things I’ll be missing in the fall, so I’m going to enjoy every second of them this summer. When in Naperville, you can find me at Andy’s, Centennial Beach, Goodrich Woods, or pretty much anywhere my friends and I can think of spending the sunny days of summer together.
Summer is also literally the only thing on my mind. I will also be spending the majority of my summer at a pool, but I will be at Cress Creek Country Club where I work. I’m also excited for vacations, I’m going to Colorado! Your family reunion and adventure trip in Washington sounds super fun. I’d love to visit the national parks on the West Coast someday. I’m also super jealous of your trip to Hawaii. You have so many fun things planned! I’m also excited to start shopping for my dorm room. I have a huge spreadsheet of all the things I need and where I want to get them from, and part of this summer will definitely be dedicated to that.
Abbie, this summer sounds like it is going to be so fun for you! That is definitely a lot of time spent at the pool, but I’m sure you’ll at least get a nice tan and I’m glad you enjoy all the jobs you have there. I bet Washington is going to be so gorgeous; I haven’t ever been myself but I would love to go someday. I’m so envious that you get to go to Hawaii too; I haven’t been there either but tropical, warm places are always the best. We definitely need to figure out where the next girls trip will be, it has been so fun the past couple years and I can’t wait! I’m glad you will also make sure to cherish the time that you are going to spend in Naperville over the summer; it’ll definitely go by faster than we expect so it’s important for us to make the most of it.
Abbie – I completely understand how the first and most prominent place you can be found is the pool, because honestly if you can’t find me this summer, it’s because I’m at the pool. During the week from about 8am-2:30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays and 8am-12:30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I will be coaching some form of aquatic practice. I am sorry to be missing the Cress Creek Cyclones vs. Huntington Barracudas swim meet, but I will definitely see you at Classic and City this summer. This being my thirteenth and final summer with Cress Creek feels bittersweet but I still couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come. I am incredibly jealous of your trips to Washington and Hawaii. I have never been to either place and I’m excited to see all the photos you send from your hikes and adventures. Finally, I have to agree that I’m ready to soak up the last couple of months I have left in Naperville and with my friends before heading to Syracuse in the fall. I can’t wait to see where we’ll travel this summer for our day trip!