A summer basically consists of three main elements: doing summery things, working, and not doing homework.  A ruined summer basically means that one or more of these things got screwed up.  But there are definite ways to prevent this.
            I’m going to offer you guys a three-part article, over the course of the next three weeks, and hopefully this summer will be more a smooth roller coaster than a bumpy Yankee Cannonball (don’t get the reference?  Obviously Canobie Lake should be on your to-go list this summer).
            Element 1 of summer: doing summery things. 
            Okay, so this is pretty broad, but you get the idea: eating ice cream, going to the beach, going to theme parks, sitting in outside cafes, going to outdoor concerts at the Comcast Center. 
            Possible things that could ruin it:
- Hell yes summer. 
1.    Rain
Alright, so I’m not going to pretend that we can control the weather.  Obviously that’s a no-go.  But there are definitely summery things to do on your day off even when it’s raining.For one thing, when it’s raining in the summer you can still sit on your porch, drink some lemonade, and play cards.  Or sit on your porch, drink some G&Ts, and play Kings.  Whatever floats your boat; the point is, summer rain is warm and great. There are also still places to go, especially in Boston.  While bar-hopping or sitting in the Common may not be too fun in the rain, you can check out some of the museums or see a movie that you’ve been wanting to.
2.    Sickness
Likewise, you can’t control when you get sick.  But, with the advent of modern medicine…you can try.  Sure, there’s Sudafed and Kleenex to help you through the week, but I suggest taking some Echinacea and Vitamin C pills.  My friend introduced me to Echinacea and said to take it when I felt I was getting sick, but I’ve found it helps a lot in general.  It’s an herbal supplement that you can buy at basically any Wal-Mart-esque store, and it helps out your immune system.  Likewise with Vitamin C, especially for those of us who think they are in taking a lot of Vitamin C but aren’t (I really should eat more oranges). 
3.    Limited funding
Yeah, money tends to run out more quickly in the summer.  I don’t know if it’s because of the increased amount of Dunks that I drink or the increased amount of summer sales that entice me, but by July my wallet is usually pretty sad.  My suggestion is to split everything up.  Allot yourself a budget for June, July, and August, and don’t let yourself spend more than that month allows.  If it means you’re skimping for the last week of June, it’s okay; on the fourth of July you’ll have a fresh set of money to spend.