6.23.2016

Summer Vacation Essentials

Hello, friend!

As I was packing to go on vacation, I figured that it would be fun to make a summer vacation essentials list for anyone who wants to see what I consider to be very important items. Let's get started!


1. Your Favorite Tee
This is a given! Something cozy that you love and don't even have to think twice about bringing. For me, it's my Feelin' Good tee from Forever 21. I bought this in the Spring when I went to the mall and it's been one of my favorites ever since!

2. Notebook(s) + Pens
Bringing your notebook, especially when there is a long drive involved in getting to your destination, is always a great idea. Writing down ideas, making lists(bucket lists perhaps? :)), and drawing are all apart of the fun. 

3. Books
Reading books are also a way to disconnect during your vacation and make sure that you're getting some time to just relax because when you're reading you can't really do anything else... unless you can multitask! I always take some time to sit by the pool with my mom and we flip through magazines and books just enjoying summer and living in the moment. In my previous blog post, I mentioned that I ordered 15 books from the library, and as tempting as it is for me to want to bring the 7 left that I want to read, I also have to remember to limit myself and make sure I'm leaving time for other vacation activities!

4. Camera(s)
Another essential that I can't leave without. My parents gifted me a GoPro for my birthday this year, and my brother and I are bringing ours on vacation for sure!  I'll be able to record and snap some fun memories this summer on this small camera. Bringing a big bulky camera can also be a good idea, depending on where you're going and if you want to commit to carrying that around. A GoPro is really convenient because it can fit in a small bag or even a large pocket! 

5. A Hat
Protect your face from the sun, it's the only one you've got! I got this smiley face hat on this app called Depop, and it makes me smile every time I look at it. Hats are especially great if you don't want to put sun screen all over your face and feel icky all day.

6. A Deck of Cards
This is a small item that can make a vacation really fun, you can play so many different games with one deck! And, it's super easy to pack since it's small. My family and I always bring games to play like Bananagrams, Skipbo, and of course, two decks of cards!

7. Headphones + a Good Playlist
Even though vacations can be times to disconnect and spend time with family, sometimes there are times when listening to music would make the day(or night) that much better. I bring my headphones to listen to music during the car rides, and I usually spend the night before creating a playlist that I know my family will also love! Listening to the same music that you played on vacation after it's over can also help bring those good memories back.

And that's it for my list! :) Hope that you found it useful. I also wanted to show you a video and a photo of this super cool lightning storm that happened close to my house a couple of nights ago!

How cool is that?

 Two days after the lightning, I went to this fair at my high school with my friend Reagan and Taryn, and the sky was so pretty, especially with the lights from the carnival that I had to take a picture!


Well, I have to finish packing now! What are some of your summer vacation essentials? Leave a comment down below!
Have a great rest of the week,
Joy :)

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