Summer is quickly coming to a close and I couldn't be happier. I've never been someone who likes downtime. Yes, a certain amount of it is fantastic, but I like having a routine and I like going to classes. Something about having a busy schedule excites me. When you're forced to take a break and you don't want one, it's not a break. I prefer taking a three-day weekend to a three-month holiday and since traveling is expensive and a bit out of reach on a regular basis, breaks are pretty much limited to local areas. I'm in LA which isn't a small city by any means and there's always plenty to do, but when the heat hit's it's peak, the only place to go is the beach. I don't know many people who don't enjoy a trip to the beach, though even in LA the best beaches aren't as accessible to the majority of the public. So, when you find yourself up against the clock and you're counting down the days until a new opportunity comes along; you may find yourself grasping for straws when searching out new activities to pass the time.

For me, that timer started about a week or two into this summer. I've tried to do my best entertaining myself with projects or writing, but even those activities can only be performed for a certain number of hours per day. Then I took to beach visits, but when uber prices begin to stack up cheaper activities are welcome. People watching and drawing came next in the long list of time passers. Just sitting in a populated area sketching and observing your surroundings. I enjoy those sorts of activities and frequently kill time with them. I even checked out the museums in the area, which I recommend everyone see. Why would you not see a museum when its free and right across the street from your campus? That was my thought and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to music and just wondering through the halls of fossils and gems. Though unfortunately, there is still time enough for me to be seeking things to do.

Almost three whole weeks of vacation left; ergo, I continue to seek shelter from the abnormally hot days that have descended. I look forward while attempting to enjoy the vacation the University thinks I want and I giddily anticipate the day I begin my classes once more. For me, learning isn't a means to an end, but rather a process by which I smother the critical thinking that's better set to creative tasks. I'm a happier, healthier person when I have no idea how I'll fit a variety of things into a comparatively, short period of time. I like waking up with something that needs doing and I like going to bed knowing I've put something off intentionally to relax. There's a sense of control in being self-motivated enough to balance a hefty workload with taking breaks. Though to be fair, sometimes being forced to take a break is important, especially when you need them but don't want them.