Summer Break At Home: A Grounding Point
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Summer Break At Home: A Grounding Point

When we see home in a new light, it can show us aspects of ourselves we didn't realize.

5
Summer Break At Home: A Grounding Point
The Bend Bulletin

Last fall I began college at Whitworth University. I was excited about the new opportunities and possibilities that awaited me, and the novelty of living in a big city was inviting. This year I'm heading back with a slightly different attitude. Don't get me wrong, I love my school and the people there, but this summer showed me the discrepancies between my life at school and my life at home.

At home I work in agriculture, my days are long, sometimes things go wrong and at the end of the day there is a good sort of exhaustion; the kind where you know that you've accomplished something. Life is real and tangible, whereas the "Pinecone Curtain" shelters Whitworth. It's a sort of buffer between the real world and the bubble in which we live and learn. The contrast between the two realities can be quite startling.

This summer I came to recognize that my heart is with my roots, firmly planted in the country. From a young age I loved animals, playing in the dirt and being outdoors. It wasn't until this summer that I realized how much a part of me those things are. At school I had immersed myself fully in the Whitworth culture, enjoying every minute, but at home I saw who I had been all of my life coming back in force. My love of hard work and challenges makes working in agriculture an exhilarating experience, I left each day feeling enthusiastic about what I had accomplished and what was coming up. It was a sort of feeling alive that I hadn't really felt during the school year.

At home my social life revolved around eating food or spending time outdoors with animals. These times were filled with the peaceful comfort of good company and conversation about past experiences, opinions, or small town news. When I think about the memories I'll treasure in years to come, I think it will be those conversations, the ones where it didn't matter what we were doing, just that we were with good people. I've come to a greater understanding of the type of people who I truly enjoy their company, allowing myself to invest more deeply with those people.

Now as I return to school, it will be a process to figure out how to balance participating in the things that make college so unique and wonderful with maintaining the person I am at home. This summer has allowed me to reflect on the things that make me who I am, and to embrace the passions that I have. It has truly been a blessing to reaffirm these ties and I hope to carry the things I've learned over into this next year. Each season brings with it new lessons, and this summer has been full of them.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

52567
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

33790
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956523
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181349
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments