This summer, sitting at my cubicle under fluorescent lights, staring at my computer screen, I couldn’t help but remember the highlights of my childhood summers, spent on adventures with my family. No matter how interesting my job is or how much work I have to do, I can’t help but compare this summer spent working and maintaining that un-freckled, un-tanned look that everyone shoots for in the summer, to my childhood summers spent barefoot and sunburned.

1. Taking a trip and spending the day at the beach vs. Taking a trip and spending the day at the copier

Standing at the copier with my headphones on with the blood of thousands of trees on my hands, I can’t help but remember days spent reading and swimming on the beach. The warmth of the paper right from the copier really rivals the warmth of the sun on my face

2. Driving in to the city for a day trip to a museum vs. Driving into the city for a day spent at work

Driving into work at the pace of a snail, listening to audiobooks and podcasts always reminds me of driving into the city with my brothers to spend a day exploring and learning at a museum. Looking at works of priceless art almost comes close to staring at all of the tons of engineering that hit the streets at 8 every morning.

3. Doing fun activities all day long at camp vs. Editing lots of legal documents all day

Sitting at my desk with my red pen wading through dense documents make me remember that time at camp I spent a day learning how to windsurf, shoot a bow and ride a horse all in the same day. Learning all those new things at camp could never be as good as learning all those legal terms and grammar rules.

4. Seeing a new part of the world on a family vacation vs. Working in a cubicle

Surrounded by gray walls and ceiling lights all days without a window always brings back memories of exploring a new, interesting place with my family, learning about the sun and the culture. Those trips can never teach me what I can learn from my computer screen.

5. Going to the Fourth of July Parade vs. Going out on a shoe-string budget

Finding places, not only to eat lunch and get coffee at work, but to get cheap drinks with friends after work is reminiscent of attending a parade on the Fourth of July in a cute red-white-and blue outfit and getting handfuls of free candy thrown at you from colorful floats. Getting tired and being reliant on your parents to finish socializing and drive you home might actually compare here with getting tired and being reliant on your friends to finish socializing and drive you home.