Summer Bucket List Review

At the end of April, at the beginning of summer break I wrote up a Summer Bucket list. I like lists. They help motivate me. So now that summer break is finishing up (mercifully, because honestly I'm dying to get back to school) I want to go over that list and see what I actually did do. Or sorta did. 

1. Take VASTU101 

Why yes I did take this class and it was delightful. I learned that I hate shading, love lines and need to work on accepting criticism. I made some new friends, learned how to draw in perspective, and realized that I'm actually not really a perfectionist. 

2. Get my certification for Scuba Diving 

CHECK! :) And it was sooo fun. I met a good group of girls, swam around like a fish and got to dive in a crater. Also, this opened up the opportunity for me to scuba dive with manta rays in Hawaii which was the most breathtaking experience of my life. I'd say it was worth it. Way worth it. I just have to find a few scuba friends to go on trips with now. 

3. Read 20 books 

Ha. No, I did not read twenty books. I read about 10 though! Ender's Game, Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess, Everneath, The Fault Beneath our Stars, The Selection... I think there were some other ones but I really cannot remember. I loved having the time to read. I think that is what i'll miss the most throughout the school year. 

4. Write a book (or a few short stories) 

I had COMPLETELY forgotten about this one. And then funny enough 2 weeks ago I was sitting on a train (for 10 hours) and I had absolutely nothing to do so I started reading through some of my old stories. I came across one I had started as a short story but at the time I had no idea where to go with it. I had a sudden idea and from that I came up with the plot for a complete book! That has never, ever even come close to happening to me before. I usually can think of a cool character but nothing beyond that. This time it just all came in a flood. And I think its a pretty good idea. I've written a chapter so far. I don't have time to write it now but I'll keep it in safe for a time when I do :) Exciting really. As a little girl my dream was to write a book. I wrote one when I was seven and sent it to scholastic. They obviously didn't publish it but they sent me back 5 children's books with a kind letter of encouragement (cool people huh??). So there it is: one day I will write a book because scholastic believes in me.  

5. No TV shows 

I didn't do so well on this one. I didn't watch any regular tv shoes (okay other than bachelorette) but I did watch 3 korean dramas. But to be a little more moderate I watched 2 shows that were currently airing so that I would have to wait a week between new episodes. I really liked that :) I watched "You're the Best, Lee Soon Shin" (super cute lead couple), "I Hear Your Voice" (intense and beautiful) and an older one "Dream High" (I didn't think I'd love it but it was so exciting haha). 

6. Go outside a lot 

I definitely did this :) I am much more tanned than I have ever been before. And I've seen a lot of nature. It was also very nice to have a pool just outside of my apartment. 

7. Don't procrastinate my homework 

I don't think I did procrastinate too much! But its been about 2 months since I was in class so I don't even remember. Honestly, I miss school so much right now. I'm glad I took a spring term. 

8. Give plasma at least once a week 

Yup! I did this. Made some good spending money off of it which I kind of needed since I didn't have a job for most of the summer. 

9. Hike Timp 

No :( This is going to happen though. 

10. Get the Lifeguarding job 

This didn't happen but it worked out for the best :) Because I was able to work for one of my professors and because I was able to take a whole month to travel around! 

11. Run regularly, swim often 

I did in fact run regularly. I ran my first 5 km in July. I did not swim a whole lot though-- other than for fun. 

12. Go to Mesa

Julie's wedding was an amazing experience and I really enjoyed my time to just chill with Kylie :) 

13. Finish reading the Book of Mormon in French 

No, I didn't finish but I did get through all of Alma. I think that's pretty good! And it really did help out my french reading a lot. 

14. Practice Hindi regularly 

I think about it once in a while... does that count?? 

15. Take time to make good food! Try new things. 

Yes. I did this :) I ate pretty well all summer. And tonight I had this amazing Tahitian raw fish meal. I wanted to eat a ton but I resisted for now. 

16. Make friends 

This one sums up my entire summer. I have been so so so so blessed in this area. I was a little afraid of how the summer would go... for the last year I have spent all of my time with three people: 1) Julie, 2) Kylie and 3) Shybree. My roommates. But #1 got married, #2 was an Efy councillor, and #3 was in Europe all summer. I knew it was going to be way harder to meet new people without my best friends. But there were a few people who pulled me into their group of friends and from there I met so many others! I was able to go camping in Strawberry and hiking in Moab. I had a High School Musical girl's night and a place to be every Sunday night. I learned to love Dominion. I became part of a running group. I had a Canadian dinner. And so it turned out that I realized just how many people there are to meet, and love, and learn from all around. Then I went to Quebec and I missed my Provo friends terribly but I had the ability to make new friends there too. And many of my older friendships were strengthened in the process. 

So over all my summer was a huge success. But not because I can check all those things off a list. It was a success because I feel so happy right now as I look back on it. I can see how much I grew-- I can think of a few experiences that will change me for the rest of my life. I can see how some of my desires have changed, how I've become more outgoing, more confident... I know this is a summer Heavenly Father approves of. He let me make some decisions and guided me along the way so that I would learn what he had planned. I could be bummed that I didn't go to India. But I'm not. There will be a day for that. But I would never wish to have missed what I went through this summer-- the good and the bad (because it wasn't ALL roses). 

I learned to love going with the flow. And that's what I'm going to do with this fall. Even though I have so many things going on this fall I don't want to over-think or over-plan it. I just want to live it. 

Remember how much Heavenly Father loves you, 

Stéfanie