Everyone has a favorite month of the year. The usual choices include birthday months and obvious seasonal favorites. Through careful consideration and arguing, the top five months have been determined. The complete order is as follows: June, July, December, August, October, January, February, May, November, April, September, and last and very least, March.

June

Unarguably the best month of the year, June means school is coming to a close, shorts weather is in full swing, the sun sets later and life is just better. By June, AP exams are over with and the stress of schools begins to disappear. Summertime tans return and summer break begins.  Once mid-June hits and school is officially out, life gets even better: not having to worry about going back to school anytime soon, not having to do back to school shopping and relaxing pretty much all the time.

July

July has to be ranked pretty high. Without July, summer would only be the adrenaline of school being out followed by a week or two of total panic because school starts soon. For some, July is mid camp – aka the best time of the year. July means you’re perfectly tanned all the time (despite some not so perfect shorts tan lines), and having a great time. For others, July is vacation time. Whether it is lounging by the pool all day or exploring foreign countries, there isn’t anything to complain about.

December

What’s not to love about December? Aside from the minimal amount of school, December is full of holiday spirit: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Cyber Monday, New Years’ Eve, and best of all, national ice cream day. The joy and spirit continues as neighborhoods are decorated with lights and festive events are happening. And if none of that is good enough reasoning to love December…snow days begin.

August

Not knocking August but it definitely holds some hostility due to school being just around the corner. People who might still be vacationing are slowly coming home, and summer camps wrap up early in the month, but still, it is a great time of year. Fall sports practices start toward the middle of the month, which can be a great re-entry to a scheduled life without going straight back to school. The weather is still perfect, relaxation mode is still in full motion and life is still blissful.

January

While the school year’s end isn’t approaching just yet, January is often a turning point in the year. If you can make it through the end of first semester, the rest is a piece of cake (kind of…). The last few days of winter break start off the month, followed by hopes of snow throughout the rest. Although resolutions don’t usually last through the year, January is usually promising for lifestyle improvements.