The student life versus the summer work life. Is it equivalent to real world life? So you graduate from college and you begin a day job, is it equivalent to all those summer jobs you've had or is this particular job more important?
Does it fulfill your life? Does it advocate for what you stand for? Or is it simply another subject that you've decided can fill up your time on the 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM schedule?
I am currently working three jobs. It's what I have decided to do with my summer. I had many options to choose from with what I could have done. I could have gone back home and hanged out with my so-called friends; I could have done an internship anywhere around the world and explored a new place; I could have traveled somewhere new, simply to visit. But instead, I decided to return to Bar Harbor, where my college resides, and work for the college and a restaurant.
Bar Harbor is a small touristic town in the summer. It feels super crowded and lively. All the stores in town are finally open, and there are plenty of restaurants, ice cream shops, and coffee shops to go to. It's the place to be. Not only is it a flourishing town, it's also a National Park. Acadia National Park is our backyard. You can go from one spot to the other within minutes — my favorite is Sand Beach. The waves crash and the people linger, admiring the beauty of the waves and the small island in the distance.
Through it all, I find a few hours to myself. A few hours that I can get away from campus and head out into town. And hopefully, soon enough I will find some hours to get into the park. I sense there being a lack of motivation for action to get within the park because while it's a close getaway, it requires at least three to four hours to really get deep into the park. I could spend an hour or two but that wouldn't be sufficient. So while I am busting my legs working to gain money, I'm also trying to have a fulfilling summer.
So what does it mean to be a real life adult? How do you know that you've reached that point in your life at which all you do is work and no play? And if there is no play, what is it that you do on your leisure time? Do you do nothing? Do you reflect? Do you aspire? Do you spend time outdoors? Or do you go into the oblivion of video games, television, and movies?
These are the questions that I ponder upon as I am placed in the situations of the work life and the down time life. Whether it would be as sufficient to continue this path or to continue on pursuing the path of education. It can be so easy to simply continue working, plenty of people do it without a degree, and it is also as fulfilling to educate myself throughout the means of a college education. In this case, it's simply a question as to what path is more compatible with the life that I desire.
