Staff Essay

Summer inspires growth, spontaneity

Media Credit: Staff photographer

At the end of every grueling semester, students cheer and jeer about what summer is impending upon them.

Here we are, a shade over a month since the spring semester has ended, experiencing, or about to experience, the various occurrences that summer may bring to us.

For many, summer means being stuck in another scholastic grind as aforementioned.

For me, though, summer means many things: warm weather, employment opportunities, and freedom to run away with the many feelings and situations that life ignites during this time off of weighting (beneficial, but weighting) education.

The warm weather, for instance, is what absolutely kills me. Not literally, but I mean it affects me to no end; from the perils of sunburns (with the uncertainty that the risk of skin cancer stirs) to the long and leisurely days spent on a lake or a beach, swimming and soaking up the sun.

There is nothing more inspiring than the wonderful concoction of sand, sun and water. Trite as it may be to say it, it is so true. And come fall semester of 2002-2003, I won't be feeling the wondrous nautical inspirations that summer allows me.

The employment opportunities are sparse for some and lush for others. I happen to be experiencing the lush end of the job spectrum.

Between working most-time (not exactly full-time, much more than part-time) at Sam Goody in the Crossroads Center as the third key, and working at the University Chronicle as Diversions Editor, my experiences in the work force are varied and interesting, as well as useful and fun.

Come fall semester, my work will stay about the same, but will probably dwindle some, and my time spread out, as I will be concentrating on my education.

Freedom is the most significant thing about summer.

Ever since I was a child, summer has always meant no school, and freedom and time to experience a variety of feelings and situations.

Every summer is different, and one can never tell how it's going to be. The variation incites the situations and feelings that is so inevitable, and almost required, for summer to even occur.

Though the school year can be even more varied and exciting, I've always experienced that summer is not as structured and stressful. Summer incites more spontaneity that any semester of school could sanction.

For instance, a road trip out east awaits me. Twelve days of not working, and not being committed to the daily drudge that super-structure serves.

Each day will be a new adventure; a new street to drive on, a new dialect to experience, and a new type of freedom into which this summer will let me venture.

After the trip, I will continue with warm weather and my varied employment situation. After the trip, I will be a person who is freshly embossed with freedom and time that this new summer has given me, and will hopefully continue to give me.

Because that is what summer allows me, and that is what should be appreciated most about this wonderful, wonderful season.

Email Story to a Friend        Printer Friendly Version