30 Things To Do During Your Last Summer Before You Become A Real Person

This is the last summer of my life that will use school years as bookends. Starting next summer, after I graduate in May 2015, my summers will no longer begin with finals and end with syllabus week. Instead, they'll begin and end with… well, I don’t know yet.

Anyway, here are 30 things to do this summer before you go back to doing schoolwork and eventually become a real person. Do these now because they probably won’t be as cute when you enter the real world and summer becomes just another banal season.

1. Sleep as late as possible, as often as possible.

Once you graduate, you won’t have the “lazy college kid” excuse anymore. Use that stereotype to your advantage now.

2. Make playlists for different events for the school year, including but not limited to “Sexy Time,” “Pre-Game” and “Studying.”

Nothing says “college” like an abundance of party playlists. Make sure you have a ton ready for senior year.

3. Take advantage of your mom’s home-cooked meals.

Soon, you’ll only be able to eat mom’s homemade tomato sauce during holidays (assuming you fly away from the nest after graduation)! Eat all the pasta you can, while you can.

4. Learn to cook actual meals for yourself.

No, I don’t mean scrambled eggs or pizza bagels. I mean real food, like chicken or lasagna. You'll likely have more free time during the summer than you will during the school year, which means plenty of time to practice.

5. Reconnect with old friends.

Before you all jet off to random parts of the world to chase your personal dreams/boring jobs, make sure you rekindle old friendships. It's worth it.

6. Get really drunk.

It’s not considered alcoholism. Yet.

7. Have (a) one-night stand(s)

Casual drunken hookups will be more of a sign of emotional immaturity than a sign of "coolness" after you graduate.

Since summertime is THE time to be carefree, have a few casual flings before you have to hit the books again come September, when your only choices will be washed-up dudes in your grade who you've already known for three years.

8. Binge watch guilty pleasures.

Nobody will judge you for closing the blinds and binge watching “Star Trek” or “Sex and the City” all day when you don’t — and aren’t supposed to — have a career yet.

The amount of guilty pleasure TV you can watch is indirectly proportional to the amount you have to pay on that impending student loan bill. But, those bills aren't coming yet!

9. Go to a music festival.

I often associate music festivals with irresponsible kids doing irresponsible things. There’s no better time than the present — before you have a job, a mortgage or real bills — to partake in this lifestyle.

10. Get every student discount from all possible stores.

Fifteen percent off at J.Crew, just for being in college? Count me in. If only I could use this next year, too.

11. Stay up all night and barely function the next day.

Don’t worry about functioning. You don’t have a career yet.

12. Go skinny-dipping.

This is cool and lighthearted when you’re young, but becomes exponentially weirder as you age. Do this ASAP before it’s creepy and unacceptable.

13. Finally learn the words to your school’s fight song and be prepared to sing it during fall football season.

Very few of you know your school’s fight song, so just learn it. Last year’s seniors will be jealous of your spirit when they stalk you on Facebook in September and cry.

14. Party at a friend’s college.

Once you all graduate, you won’t get to college-party ever again. (Well, you can but it will be depressing and weird.) Don’t limit your experience to just your school. Go everywhere you can.

15. Get an internship or job you love.

Tons of people hate their jobs when they enter the real world, which is sad. Since you’re young, you aren’t "forced" into a career yet. Work somewhere fun before you have to seek real employment after graduation somewhere that’s potentially terrible.

16. Swim in a pool as often as possible.

As you age, swimming becomes less about actual swimming and more about just laying outside with strawberry daiquiris. Before you graduate, make sure you swim. Use goggles and/or a diving board, or it doesn't count.

17. Let your parents take care of you.

It’s okay to let them baby you. Don't set your alarm if your dad is willing to wake you up. Don't cook breakfast. Forget to get gas for your car and get scolded for it. One day, you’ll miss the nagging and constant reminders.

18. Eat only Bagel Bites for dinner.

You’re young and your metabolism is still kicking; take advantage. Hot Pockets for days.

19. Have many sleepovers.

Adults don’t do sleepovers just for the sake of doing sleepovers, but you’re not an adult yet! Time for ghost stories and popcorn!

20. Move into school early and get an extra few days at the local bars with your friends.

As a senior, you now rule the school. Go to the local bar with some friends and make that fact known as soon as you can.

21. Buy lots of clothes with your school’s logo/colors and strut them around.

Wear as much school apparel as possible. It won’t be socially acceptable for much longer.

22. Furnish your apartment with cheap, hand-me-down furniture.

There’s never a better time to shop at Ikea than now! You won’t want to do so when you make a real salary and can afford stuff elsewhere (fingers crossed).

23. Neglect to put away your laundry.

Because who cares?

24. Read as many books as you can.

Many people don’t read for pleasure because they complain they don’t have the “time.” Well, it’s your last summer before the real world and you have lots of time, young one. Use it.

25. Take a million pictures for social media.

While obsessive photo-taking and sharing is annoying, it’s not as annoying as it will be after graduation when no one cares anymore.

26. Go on an OKCupid date.

You'll likely have a bunch of these when you graduate, but you have to get that first one out of the way so you can say, "I've never done this before! Hehe!" while it's still semi-adorable and sounds innocent. The best time to do this is when you are not flooded with homework.

27. Visit your old high school.

If you were in any kind of after-school activity, this is the last time you can go visit your high school and still know a few current students who were freshmen when you were a senior. Once they graduate, you will no longer be relevant. It’s upsetting.

28. Get your 21-year-old driver’s license.

If you went away for college and turned 21 during your junior year, you’re probably still using your expired license, since you didn’t have the chance to go home and change it. Well, time to get the real, 21+ deal.

29. Learn a random skill.

When you’re a real person, the skill you have to perfect is the one that relates to your job that allows you to live and eat. When you’re not yet a real person, you can dedicate your time to learning how to knit or something.

30. Anticipate the best year of your life.

I’m really excited about next year. I’ll finally be 21 years old, I’ll be done taking core requirements and can actually focus on classes relevant to my major.

I’ll be president of my sketch comedy group and I can honestly say that I’m on really good terms with everyone in my grade. Plus, as a senior, I’m at the top of the college food chain. Life will be great.