Summer is here and I honestly can't believe it. Waking up every morning in my room instead of my dorm at school is still weird sometimes. Students get so used to having one routine every day and then summer comes and things tend to change. In no way am I complaining, but summer can take some getting used to.

When I first came home from college it felt weird being in my own house. Knowing that I wasn't just visiting for a weekend and was going to stay here. Being home for the summer definitely has taken some getting used to but it also felt strange to relax.

I didn't have any assignments, papers, deadlines, nothing- it felt weird, too. During school, I always had an assignment that I could be working on, so when I got home for the summer knowing that I didn't have things due, that felt strange. I almost felt kind of guilty or like I wasn't doing enough. This feeling went away, however, when I realized after working hard for so long I did deserve a break to relax.

After I got more acquainted with being at home and actually relaxing, it was time to reconnect with friends and family.

This is my favorite part of summer, by far. If you're like me and are away from your family and friends during school, it feels great being able to reconnect with everyone. Just being able to talk to my family every day and hang out with friends is truly amazing and is something that I missed a lot.

Another part of summer is finding something else besides school work to do.

Most students get jobs, internships, go on vacations, and so on. I think it is important to have some things to do over the summer so you're not completely bored and unproductive. Getting a summer job gets you out of the house and you're hopefully making enough money to save or spend with friends. An internship can provide you with experience and knowledge for something you're interested in career-wise. Both are very good options for being productive and making the most out of your summer.

Whenever I come home it feels different than it did before. There is just something about leaving a place then coming back that makes the return a little different.

The new experiences I gained in college make me see being home in a different light.

I notice things that before I didn't look for or didn't understand. At first, it was hard for me that home felt differently, but now I realize it is all about growing up. As you grow, your interests, thoughts, and outlook on things change and that's okay. If we all stayed the exact same that would be pretty boring and no one would grow.

So, even though I am a little different now and in turn see coming home differently, the core principles of summer still stayed the same for me. I still love seeing my family and friends, gaining new experiences and knowledge through jobs and internships, and feeling comfortable being in my own space again.

Most aspects of life are in constant change, but it still feels good knowing that some things about summer are the same.