From TikTok to Instagram, everywhere you look students are gearing up for the “greatest summer ever” … yet again. Unfortunately, along with the anticipation, there is also a rising pressure amidst the excitement. Because of the strange amount of devastating occurrences that have appeared this year, many have placed extremely high expectations on the 2022 summer to redeem and heal those affected by them. 

Whether it be traveling, staying at home, or just driving around, the expectation to “live life to the fullest” during this summertime season is becoming overwhelming. The main perpetrator of this is of course social media apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. Such apps are constant reminders of this expectation as shown through videos, photos, etc. While it is still apparent that these social media platforms are used an expose the highlight reels of its users, it is still extremely difficult to overcome the sensation of missing out and/or being left behind. 

As one scroll through the countless photos of extravagant destinations and, more often, photos and videos of individuals romanticizing regular day occurrences, there is an overwhelming sense of shame and sometimes even guilt. When recognizing that others are doing things that you feel you should also be doing, there is this internal sense that the romanticized days and nights of summertime displayed on Instagram are the expectation rather than the exception.

As such, the pressure to have “the best summer ever” may overwhelm the genuine pleasure that should come with the season. While it is good to do enticing and exciting things out and about in the world during the break, it is also completely okay to just take time to rest and recuperate from the taxing school year. It is also not necessary to try and get every aspect of your life in order during the summer. Change and experience do not have to occur all at once nor during one season of life, especially one that is meant as a break (at least from school). 

The best way to combat these feelings of “summertime pressure” is to mostly just take your time. There is no rush to fix, change, do, or see anything during the break. Taking one day at a time and living within the reality presented before you is truly the best cure for the fast-paced society that has become the norm. Taking one day at a time also entails that, while there will be many opportunities opening to you, there is no need to take on every adventure presented to you. 

Overloading one’s schedule during this time is not uncommon, and burnout can still occur outside of educational environments. As such, it is important to be aware of one’s physical, emotional, and mental state. This will definitely help in also choosing when it is a time to rest and when it is a time to explore and try new things. 

So, as the summertime is quickly approaching, keep in mind that the sunny skies and photogenic lies of social media do not require you to “live your life to the fullest”, especially if you feel like you need rest. Rest and recuperation are just as if not more important than having fun during the summer. In conclusion, just be sure to hold on tightly to the reality of the situation, that being the fact that this year has been unbelievably hard and that it is ok if you need to rest before the fun can begin.