Going back to school is such a bittersweet time of the year. When school starts, it means that summer is over. Not doing schoolwork is over. For college students, like me, it means moving back in and typically away from our families. For me, I’ve reached that point where summer is dragging. I’m surprisingly ready to go back, start school and be stressed all over again.
Independence
I don’t know about anyone else, but when I’m home, I have to be up by at least 9 a.m. At school, if I don’t have classes, I can sleep as late as I want. On Saturdays, I don’t even have to get out of bed. I don’t have chores to do or errands to run. I can literally do whatever I want, on my own schedule.
Proximity
Living on campus makes hanging out with friends, getting to class and eating food a lot easier. When you live in the middle of nowhere, like I do, you can get excited for the 5-minute walk across campus to grab a bite to eat as opposed to the 20 minute drive to get to a restaurant. Plus, walking everywhere is easy exercise and means that you don’t have to pay for gas to drive everywhere.
Friends
Going along with proximity, being back at school means that you can see your friends every day if you want to. Meeting friends at school is bittersweet because you go from seeing them every day, being a 5-minute walk from them, to possibly being hours apart during the summer. It’s hard, and I miss being able to call them up to grab coffee.
Set Schedule
When I’m at school, I can tell “Bob” that I can meet him for coffee or get together for lunch at this time on this day because I don’t have an ever-changing work schedule or a family with me that make a lot of rather spontaneous plans. I know what I’m doing when, and I can actually schedule my life.
Purpose
My life, in the summer, is about making money for school. This seems like an endless cycle of making and spending money. Don’t get me wrong, summer is great, but I never feel like I’m getting anywhere. During the school year, I feel like I have purpose because I’m working toward a degree and getting an education. I’m working toward something and my future is close. Getting back to school means finishing, earning my degree and moving toward meaningful work that impacts the world.
