I wake up in the morning, and the sun greets me. A few, short weeks ago I would wake up and it would be dark and cold. Now, sunshine enters my room. I no longer wear fuzzy socks, knee-high boots, and wool sweaters for warmth. I am scrounging the dredges of my dorm closet trying to find tank tops and flip flops to wear because when I step outside, I can feel warmth on my face.

I look around at bright blue skies that seem to stretch on endlessly, without a cloud in sight. The grass is greener than it has been in months and flowers are poking their way out of freshly-mulch landscapes. The air even smells like spring. I am ready for warm weather and for summer. I am ready for lazy days napping in the sun and late nights not worrying about the morning. I am ready for a change.

But it’s only the beginning of April. It’s a tease of month when the skies are blue, the grass is green, my to-do list is endless and my backpack is heavy. It’s a time when I can nearly taste the freedom of summer, but I still have five papers write, four finals to study for and three group projects to present. My stress levels are as high as noon sun.

With one foot out the door, I am forced to continue working on my papers and projects. I am scheduling group meetings, professor office hours and exam study groups. I enjoy the sunshine as I hurry across the quad from one building to another. It seems like a cruel punishment to have the weather be so beautiful, but to be stuck inside writing and studying.

Lacrosse practice is my one chance a day to enjoy being outside, guilt-free. I can soak up the sun and feel the warmth. Though I do have to be careful. It’s prime time for tan lines. As an athlete, I have four different lines on my legs that show where my ankle socks, mid calf socks, shorts and spandex all end. It makes me ache to put on a swimsuit and have tan lines that don’t seem to appear as random lines across my body. I can’t wait to have a tan line from sunglasses instead of face cages.

Though the irony is, as soon as summer is here, I am going to miss cooler weather. I hate the heat and humidity. I hate having to get up at the crack of down to workout before it gets too hot. I do not like being sweaty and salty. But for now, I have forgotten everything I dislike about summer and am instead consumed by spring fever, counting down the days until the semester is over and it is finally summer.