Pack your bags and grab your passport, VALLEY is taking you on a trip to Greece!
With about half of the semester to go, summer unfortunately still feels out of reach. We still have plenty of assignments, projects, final exams and maybe even graduation to get through. It’s during this time that all of us could use a little extra motivation while we try to finish out strong and wait for warmer days.
To help with the mid-semester lull, VALLEY has compiled a list of ways to incorporate the Grecian summer aesthetic into your State College life. Because let’s face it — in reality, we’d rather be in Greece.
Athens: Use Beachy Scents
Get your senses in the summer mindset by incorporating beachy scents into your daily routine. Grab your favorite tropical sugar scrub or shower gel and pretend you’re having an iconic post-beach day shower before you hit the town for dinner. Fruity scents like coconut, pineapple, mango or passionfruit are sure to have you feeling like you’re living in an island bliss.
When you’re done, treat yourself to a summer spa night with eye gels and face masks. Bonus points if you invite your besties over for a relaxing night in!
Santorini: Watch Summery Shows
One of the best ways to feel like you’re in the midst of summer days is to watch your favorite summer shows. VALLEY recommends “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Outer Banks” and “Surviving Summer.”
If you’re more into reality TV, try “Temptation Island,” “Too Hot To Handle,” “Below Deck,” “Summer House” or “Love Island” reruns. These popular shows will give you all the summer feels — and bikini inspo — with a touch of drama that we can’t help but love.
Mykonos: Listen To The “Mamma Mia!” Soundtrack
We can’t dream about a Greek vacation without mentioning the iconic movie-musical “Mamma Mia!” Grab some popcorn, your favorite candies and your besties to watch one (or both) of these fabulous flicks.
Based and filmed in Greece, “Mamma Mia!” is sure to put you in the summer mood with its beautiful scenery, amazing costumes and of course, its incredible Abba soundtrack. Even though we’re stuck in State College for a while longer, we can at least dance and sing our hearts out to “Lay All Your Love on Me.”
Naxos: Soak Up The Sun (When You Can)
As soon as the sun comes out and the temperature hits above 65, grab a towel or picnic blanket and head outside. Soaking up the sun when it finally shows up is one of the best ways to boost your mood and get some much-needed Vitamin D.
If you want to make a day of it, take a picnic basket with snacks and the book you currently have on the go and may not have had time to read (bonus points if it’s a summer romance book). Now you have the perfect outdoor solo date.
Corfu: Have A Summer Cocktail Night
If you’re over the age of 21, what better excuse to get into your summer feels than to have a summer cocktail night? Stock up your bar cart with everything you need to make your favorite tropical drinks. VALLEY’s top picks are a Sex on the Beach, a margarita, a mojito or a classic piña colada.
To make a fun evening out of it, invite your friends over and have them each bring ingredients for their favorite summer drink. This way, you can create a tropical cocktail flight and do a tasting. Turn on the “Mamma Mia!” soundtrack or movie to create an immaculate summer vibe. Now you have yourself a party!
Crete: Plan Your Dream Vacation
As strong proponents of a good Pinterest scroll, we recommend making a Pinterest board of your dream vacation spot(s) to get you out of the winter weather slump. Create an inspo board for all your bucket list places, or just one for that vacation you’ve always been thinking about. If you’re feeling especially spontaneous, you may just inspire yourself to book that flight.
Whether you’re going on a vacation this summer or staying local, looking at photos of all the incredible destinations out there is sure to give you some hope for the warmer days ahead. After all, we’re all so young, there’s plenty of time to see the world and everything it has to offer.
We hope you enjoyed your trip to Greece! Until next time, xoxo VALLEY.
How are you spending your summer? Let us know on Instagram, @VALLEYmag!
