Now what? is almost too common of a question asked by today's students once the books have closed and summer break has finally arrived. Surely, you remember finishing up those last days of finals, getting completely psyched out of your mind to move back in with mom and dad, kick back in the sun all day, and see your hometown squad. However, being home for the summer is not as carefree as you thought. For college students, summer break creates some very real struggles, from overspending money to actually missing campus life. Here are just a few of the typical reasons that the highly-anticipated summer break is more of a bummer break:
You're tired all of the time.
And that's expected. A college course load is heavy, accelerated, and much more tedious than high school. It's really no wonder that finals have left you burnt out. Plus, summer classes, jobs, and making the most of your free time with friends can take a toll on your energy levels. This can interfere with all of the incredible adventures you have planned for your break, so rest up!
Being home all day can be boring.
Yes, there are classes, internships, and summer jobs that can pass the time between the Spring and Fall semesters. But. those can only take up so much time. At this point in the break, you can often find the typical college student lounging on the couch, binge-watching Netflix or doing some form of online shopping. The truth is, we just want something new and interesting to do so we don't waste our precious vacation staring at screens.
The gym is so accessible but you're so not about exercise today.
There are literally millions of excuses that you could make to not go to the gym (it's raining, you just took a shower, you don't want to go alone, etc.). We've all used them shamelessly and often. Even though going to the gym every day in the summer isn't impossible, it takes less effort to stay home and bake cookies. And that's just the facts, people.
You magically have no time for anything because you suck at time management.
Seriously, there should be a club for people who cannot handle free time responsibly (I know I'd probably be President). During the summer, it is so easy for students to put off responsibilities and errands because they know that having even an hour of no obligations is as rare as gold. The "I'll do it tomorrow" attitude is pretty much universal for college kids catching some rays on summer break.
The struggle of not wanting to spend money and having the strange urge to shop constantly.
Whether it's online or at the mall, the urge to shop is so much stronger when you're home for the summer. Suddenly, you desperately need new shorts, sun hats, and sandals. Summer is the season known for giving us serious fashion inspo (Coachella, vacation wear, and of course, bathing suit season), so the fact that we need to curb our retail addiction when we know our personal finances are going south is more than depressing for college kids.
Four words: You. Want. A. Job.
There are few things as difficult as getting a summer job after the Spring semester has ended. Most colleges end classes around the same time, so it's very possible for your applications to be grouped in with the other 50 students who applied for that part-time job. Not only does no job mean no money, but it leads to even more boredom during the summer. With a job, you could be doing something much more productive during the day than binge-watching Gossip Girl.
All of your money goes to food.
If there's an award for the biggest struggle on this list, this one would win. When you're home for the summer, you can quite literally eat whatever and wherever you feel like it. After being deprived of your go-to restaurant foods for months, it's only natural to crave your faves once you're back in town. Suddenly, your wallet feels a little lighter because all of those Chipotle and Dunkin' Donuts runs have taken a toll on your funds, leaving less spending room on things like concert tickets, gas money for road trips, and beach passes.
You couldn't wait to go home but now you miss your new college friends.
Considering you probably couldn't wait for the definite perks of going home (your own bed, edible food, your car), you may have forgotten to keep one very important factor of campus life in mind; your new friends! How will you survive without your best friends living 10 feet away from you? Or the sweet aroma of your roommate brewing your morning cup of coffee for you?
