Don't Waste Your Summer, Seize It

The long awaited summer is finally here! Now what? Is it off to the beach? Is it time to travel the world? Is it time to pick up a summer job? Or for most of us, is it time to catch up on some sleep, shopping, and Netflix?

Many summers of mine have been thrown away by my laziness. I always thought of summer as the time to lay back and catch up on missed movies. Yet in reality, summer is the perfect time to set goals, work hard, and achieve those goals.

Don't get me wrong: summer should be fun! Do something that appeals to you but is still beneficial to your life. Get in shape, try to get an internship/job in your field of interest, learn how to play an instrument, explore the outdoors, read up on politics/news. Do something!

In "Dead Poets Society," Robin Williams' character inspires and changes young men's lives by explaining the meaning of carpe diem. And yes, this is different than Drake's "YOLO." Seizing the day benefits your life. Life's too short to sit back and relax.

Another huge part of carpe diem is living in the "now." Laying in bed on your laptop and phone is not living in the moment. Going out and admiring nature is. Becoming more intellectual is. Working hard is. Gandhi once said, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

Whether you know it or not, working hard now makes your life easier later. For example, if you take a couple of summer classes at the local community college, you will be ahead on credits and have more flexibility in the coming semesters in which classes to take.

If you push yourself to get a good job, you will have a few extra dollars to spend on fun activities in the coming year. All it takes is a little extra push.

Personally, I want to get back in shape. I tried playing pick-up basketball the other day and was out of breath after 15 minutes. The weather is nice and I love the outdoors. To ensue my interests, I will wake up early, go on a run, and do a short workout every day. This not only benefits my physical body, but also affects my discipline. And get this: It only takes about an hour of my day. Instead of watching two more episodes of The Office, I can greatly improve my fitness habits.

You will probably have at least 50 more summers of your life. Why not make this summer one to remember? It could change your life.