Travel is a blessing and a curse.  You introduce your mind to experiences all over the globe, but the thing is, you gotta come home.  And home means there’s dishes, cleaning and errands.  I spent last summer in Europe, and this summer I’ll be in mid-Missouri.  Slight difference there, eh?  Even though the Midwest may not be as glamorous as southern France, I’m ecstatic for my summer.  You may not have any big-time sophisticated travels marked in your calendar, but this summer doesn’t have to be a drag.  Here are several tips to build your killer summer bucket list:– Switch it up

Summer is a great time to take what you already have and spice it up.  This summer I’m moving into a new house, and I’m itching to make it my new home.  I plan to pin up the maps, prints and canvases I’ve accumulated over the years to make it my own space.  (Of course, there will be a shrine—ahem, a corner devoted to France.)

Think about redecorating your room or just reorganizing your desk drawers.  Read a book—I always say that I don’t have time, but now I’ll have a more flexible schedule.  So no more excuses, right?

– Go out on a limb

Be a little crazy and do something you’ve been saying, “oh, I’ll do that later” but never get around to.  That restaurant in a town over that you’ve been wanting to try?  That trail or hike you’ve been thinking about hitting up?  That dinner party you’ve been wanting to host?

Now that I’ll have my own home, I’ll be cooking for myself. Just at brunch last week, I was savoring my sweet French toast and thought, hmm I should learn how to make French toast because why not?  It might be trying a new Pinterest recipe or signing up for a free library card—whatever floats your boat!

– Find a new routine

Yes, life will go on.  There will still be bills to pay, work to get done and online classes to be procrastinating.  But find several ways to signify these three months as a distinct season.

Eat breakfast outside.  Try a new workout class.  I’m looking forward to taking walks at a small park near my house and listening to Longform, a podcast of interviewing various non-fiction writers recommended to me by my boyfriend.  In the new routine and change of pace, still be intentional about maintaining relationships and healthy habits from the rest of the year.  I plan to continue my weekly FaceTime calls with my best friend and want to write letters to my friends who are away for the summer.– Make a list

—and stick to it!  It’s easy to be overly ambitious at the beginning of the summer but lose traction or simply forget by the second week of June.  Spend some time making a list and put it up where you can see it.  Anytime you get bored, look through your list of ideas.  Even if you don’t check off every last box, your summer will feel much more fulfilling and enjoyable by not being a Netflix-binging couch potato.

While most of my summer will be spent working, I will get a week in Seattle and Vancouver where I will pay homage to the first Starbucks and experience Canada for the first time.  Your summer might mean just staying in your parent’s house; it might mean backpacking through Europe.  Regardless of geographical location, be proactive about maximizing your summer’s potential.