Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, it’s officially summertime! There are a lot of things I am looking forward to this summer with friends and family.

Next weekend, I am going to the Philadelphia Phillies game with a bunch of friends from college. There are about 50 of us going, so we are going to have a big tailgate before the game and then head in to watch the Phillies — hopefully — win.

In July my family and I are going down the shore for the last two weeks of the month. Every year we rent the same place in Ocean City, New Jersey. We normally just do a week, but last year was the first year we did two weeks, and I don’t think we will ever go back. I love spending time down the shore; it offers a different, relaxed vibe than being at home. I always have a bucket list of things I want to make sure I do before we leave, so the two weeks are perfect to make sure I get them all done.

Photo Credit: Flowersofsunny Dreamstime_m_111325841

Besides these two things, I am also looking forward to lounging by the pool on the weekends and getting a tan, hopefully making a couple more daytrips to the beach with some friends and maybe even going to a concert or two. There are a couple artists coming to the area I would like to see this summer, but it depends on if they are on a weeknight or not — it can be hard going to concerts in Philadelphia or New Jersey after work.

I am hoping to pack a lot of fun activities into June and July because my summer is getting cut short due to needing ankle surgery the first week of August. After my surgery I will not be able to put any weight on my foot, so I will not be going anywhere for a while.

Here’s to a fun summer!

— Mary Melnick, social media and editorial coordinator