I tend to romanticize summer, or at least I have in the past.

And I think that's in part because of movies and TV shows that were on when I was growing up

and in high school is this idea that, like, you were supposed to go somewhere, maybe far flung

for a couple of months and completely

transform, probably have a whirlwind romance, and yeah, just come back renewed, like a

totally different person. And honestly, I have never had a summer like that. It's hard to live up

to that. Yes. For me, my fantasy is more modest, but it's just the idea that somehow the summer

is going to stretch out empty and full of just time to fill as I like the way it was when I was

in fourth or fifth grade. Yeah, I guess it does go back to childhood. Because I was wondering,

like, where does this really stem from, this idea of

summer as if it stands apart? It's the school calendar, yeah. Yeah.

Hey, it's Mariel Segarra. You're listening to Life Kit from NPR. Do you remember when

summer meant something, when it felt special, the long days

stretching into weeks, the feeling that there was more time and more possibility than at any

other point in the year? Our guest today, Gretchen Rubin, has a plan to help you reclaim that

feeling. Gretchen is a writer. You might know a few of her books,

like The Happiness Project or her podcast, Happier.

She's also been on Oprah,

and she's a pro at helping people create meaning

from their life experiences.

She says now is the time to think intentionally

about how to make the most of your summer

...