Hi everyone! It’s a gloomy August day as I’m writing this, and I think it’s finally hit me that summer is over (cue tears). It honestly feels like yesterday that I moved out of my apartment and back home for the summer, I can’t believe that was almost four months ago! Summer is by far my favorite season, and I got to have so many fun experiences. I was home for about three weeks in May, but spent most of my summer in Southampton, NY as a live-in nanny! It was something super out of my comfort zone but that I’m so glad I did. Today’s post is a biggg summer recap: everything I did, what I read, and lessons I learned!

Reading Recap

I don’t think I read quite as much as I did last summer, but I still got a good bit of reading in this summer, and found some great five star reads! Some of these are more cheesy/lighthearted beach reads, but I also finally checked off some “deeper” fiction novels that have been on my list for a while. I won’t go into depth about every book, but if you want to see all my book reviews, you can find them on my Goodreads or Instagram highlight!

• The Devil Wears Prada– loved the movie, and the book did not disappoint!
• What She Knew– a fast-paced thriller with a crazy ending.
• Where the Crawdads Sing– a little slow, but such a beautifully written book. 5 stars for sure.
• The Chain– another fast-paced thriller, but the ending was too unrealistic for me.
• Ruthless Elimination of Hurry– one of my all time favorite books, I could read this again and again.
• The Golden Couple– I love these two authors, and this was their newest thriller.
• Every Summer After– literally the perfect, cutest summer read set at a lake house!
• If the Shoe Fits– a Cinderella meets The Bachelor modern-day retelling- cheesy but cute.
• None Like Him– lots of good truths about God’s character, filled with scripture!
• Summer I Turned Pretty series– had to read the books again because I was soooo obsessed with the show.
• Little Secrets– very twisty thriller- was not expecting the ending!
• One True Loves– one of my favorite, most realistic romance books, definitely recommend.
• Mary Jane– a coming of age story set in the 70s, it was sweet but didn’t stand out to me.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People– loved this, so many good tips about meeting new people. 
• Girls with Bright Futures– a high school story about all the drama regarding college admissions.
• Life of the Beloved– oh my gosh I loved this book so much, reminds me how deeply I am loved as a child of God.
• Rivals– the third book in the American Royals series!
• How’s Your Soul– this was good, but very basic
• Never Let Me Go– a dystopian novel set in a world where children are clones… very interesting but not my favorite.
• The Nightingale– such a beautiful, well-written book, a little slow at first but I promise it’s worth it!

What I Did

• My last week of school, my parents and siblings came to visit me at school and stayed for a Mississippi State baseball game! It was great weather, my sister spent the night with me, and I got to show them some of my favorite spots in town. Then we packed up and I drove home for the summer!
• I had about three weeks home in Oxford, and I really tried to soak up my time at home! I worked a few shifts at my job at a local boutique, got to see some high school friends, played tennis with my dad and brother, went on runs at the trails, and had lots of family time.
• The last week in May, I took a trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia with my family and grandmother! We rented a cute little cabin in the mountains and did lots of fun activities. We went horseback riding, tubed down a river, explored downtown, and rented a boat for a day. The boat day was definitely my favorite, it was so pretty there!
• Then it was time to move to New York! June 1, I hopped on a plane and flew to NYC. The family I nannied for lives there during the school year, so I was in the city for the first two weeks of June. Lots of exploring different areas of the city, trying new restaurants, meeting other nannies, and playing with the kids! I nannied three boys, and they were so fun and full of energy!
• After the boys got out of school, we were in Southampton for the rest of the summer! That was my first time in the Hamptons, and wow- it’s so pretty there. I loved being so close to the beach, the weather was so nice (not near as hot as MS!), and it was a very “active” town. Everyone biked/walked everywhere in town, and there were always new activities and things to do. I spent most of my days with the boys, but in my free time, I tried to explore other Hamptons towns and meet other nannies! A lot of the girls I met were from the south, and it was really cool to make friends from different areas.
• I was in Southampton until mid August, and I kind of got into a routine there. It was my longest time away from home and with people I had never met before this summer, but I really enjoyed hanging out with the boys and getting closer with them.
• I got home and had just a few days to reset and pack, and I was back to school to start senior year!

What I Learned

• It was definitely weird to be in a new place with new people, and every day was different. I think this summer showed me how much I truly thrive off of having a routine and a schedule. Sure, I like to be spontaneous and plan random activities, but I’m my best self when I have a set morning routine and know a plan for the day. That was not the case this summer! It was definitely challenging, but also showed me to be more go with the flow, and make my morning habits a priority.
• Traveling alone isn’t that bad! I was so nervous when I first left for New York, because I had never flown by myself before. By the end of the summer, I had flown four times on my own, and I felt so much more confident in the airport. 
• If you want to make friends, you need to stop worrying about how you look and just put yourself out there! I was definitely lonely sometimes, being so far away from my family and friends. I definitely grew more confident with meeting new people this summer, and I made some great new friends! It was nice because all the other nannies I met were in the same boat (away from home in a new area), so we all connected really easily.
• I wasn’t as homesick as I thought, and I actually can move away and make a home in a new place! I was really scared that I would be terribly homesick all summer, because I’m very close with my family. While I definitely missed home at times, this summer showed me that I can be more independent and establish a routine in a new place!
• How important community and the church is! I got the chance to go to two different churches in New York, but I usually worked full days on Sundays and wasn’t connected to a church community. I definitely take it for granted that I have constant access to a church back at home.
• How grateful I am for my friends and family back home. Every day, I was texting or calling people from home, and I realized how blessed I am with the people in my life! I’m so thankful for my friends that kept in touch, even being so far away.

Sorry for the super long post, but I really wanted to get all my thoughts out about this summer before we move full-time into fall! I’m glad to be home and in a routine again, but I definitely miss those sunny beach days in the Hamptons. Definitely a summer for the books!