Every summer I pout. Picture a 2-year-old toddler who’s just been refused Juicy Juice because she’s already had two sippy cups of it. Cue a quivering, overturned lip, and you’d be able to paint an almost identical caricature of me during the first week of June.

This sure sign of teenage angst is prompted by the realization that I will likely never have the summer getaway you see advertised on HGTV commercials. I’ve never been, or vacationed for that matter, west of Texas or north of Oklahoma. I spend summers watching my brother play baseball and spending a lot of time with my family in a car. Typical.

I use the word “typical” in the loosest sense. While no one has my exact summer vacation, most have the core elements included in their own. Many spend a lot of time with family, many travel long hours to wherever their principle vacation happens to be, many travel to not so exciting destinations, if any at all. And though there are always exceptions (Some people may travel overseas or go to Disney World, but not Disneyland, that’s not as fun.), the majority of the populace here at good ole T-High does not partake in extravagant vacays and stay in lavish resorts. It’s not reality for everyone.

It took me until this year to come to the stunningly obvious revelation that most people are in the same boat I am. But I also know I’m not alone in longing for this fantasy summer spent backpacking across Europe or visiting the Harry Potter section of Disney World. It’s a sad reality that this can’t always happen. But we all need to get over ourselves.

Google is my best friend. Seriously. I use Google a minimum of 12 times a day, and it’s been my lifesaver this summer. By using it, I can make a semi-okay vacation pretty exciting. Instead of walking around some small, desolate town with nothing to do, you can Google what natives do, which is usually something non-tourist-y (so, no crowds) and fun (so, crowd worthy). I’ve applied the same thing even to my native homeland when I’m driving around with friends at 11, and we need something to do. Google can fix everything. It’s pretty much fixed my whole summer.

Using my trusty pal, Google “definition of underrated”. In 0.21 seconds, it’ll give this exact definition, “[to] underestimate the extent, value, or importance of (someone or something).” This is the epitome of my situation in past summers. Small vacations, or no vacations at all, are underrated. I undervalue every summer’s worth just because I’m not sipping a virgin strawberry margarita in Prague. I, and anyone else, can make my summer as fun and exciting as I want to. To quote the overrated Miley Cyrus, “Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock.”