Summer, the long anticipated break all students cling to during the spring term. By the end of the semester most college students can't wait to see summer break, but sometimes it isn't all sunshine and beach trips. When the homework ends and the weather gets warmer, a new set of problems arise.
1. Moving your entire dorm back into your room at home.
The only logical explanation you have is that your belongings somehow multiplied on the drive home. You never knew how many things one person could own, especially yourself. This discovery is a rare mix of self loathing and awe. There seems to be only one solution - storage unit anyone?
2. Getting used to being dependent on your parents again.
Suddenly, you have a curfew again and you aren’t your own boss. On the flip side, your food intake doesn’t consist solely of dining hall meals and fast food anymore, thanks mom.
3. Finding an internship or summer job.
This is not a want, but a need. Yes, you are used to being a broke college student but you will reach a new level of poor if you don’t lifeguard or babysit every kid in the neighborhood. Internships are another subject we will not even get into.
4. Missing your long distance best friends.
The bonds you make with college friends is tried and true. They have seen you at your best and worst. From the Friday nights dedicated to "Friends" marathons and pancake making contests to holding your hair when you catch the flu, they see it all. And amazingly, they stay. Being four hours away from your closest friends never gets any easier.
5. Running into everyone from high school when you are back home.
This one can go two ways, hiding behind the fruit stand in Publix and praying they don’t spot you, or full body tackling that friend you haven’t seen in forever.
6. Catching up with relatives you haven’t seen since last summer.
Explaining your major, career plans, love life, and every other detail of the past few months to everyone never goes well. “Yes, hello everyone I am majoring in indecision and my minor is being totally directionless.” College for most is pretty much a high stakes round of fake it ‘till you make it. The least they can do is let us suffer in peace.
7. Trying to plan your dorm/apartment decorations with future roommates.
Meeting new roommates is hard enough, no one needs the added stress of deciding which rug to use in the living room. Between the four of you there are three shower curtains, but no one has a microwave. Help.
8. Having stress dreams that you missed an assignment in one of your classes.
Is it really summer if you don’t occasionally catch yourself doing Spanish conjugations in your sleep and dreaming you missed your Econ final? Sometimes the stress is so much it makes a guest appearance in your subconscious, even in summer.
9. Summer School
If you are one of those unfortunate sous subjected to summer school while your friends are out adventuring you know just how real this struggle is. On behalf of college students everywhere, let me just say, I'm sorry.
10. Only having a few months of freedom.
But also having to wait three months to go back to your home away from home. The friends that turned into family, the late nights, and fast food runs are something you wouldn’t trade for the world. As much as you love summer, you left part of your heart at school.
