In high school, summer meant you were relieved of all your educational duties, you could sleep in till one in the afternoon everyday, and you had all the time in the world to hang out with your friends, binge-watch television and hang by the pool for hours on end.
Fast-forward to college. Summer is no longer a time for parties and relaxation, but a time to burn off that freshman 15, work double shifts to compensate for your poor spending habits during the school year (no pun intended), and maybe, if you're lucky, hang out with your hometown friends.
Now that we're "adults," or whatever, we are expected to fill our summer days with work, internships and summer classes. For some reason, we are okay with this, though. Why? Because we have all school year to hang with our friends, go to parties and binge-watch Netflix. Regardless, there are many differences between summer in high school and summer in college.
Basement Parties Vs. Bars
Ah, high school parties. You and your friends decide to seize the opportunity and throw a rager, AKA 15 underage kids in your friend's basement. Once you get to college, everyone is older and of age and off to the bars you go. As fun as basement parties were back in the day, they don't have quite the same ambiance as the bars downtown provide.
Week-Long Trips To The Beach Vs. Weekend Trips To The Beach
As a high schooler, the reason I looked forward to summer was because it meant week-long family vacations to the beach. Now as a college student, finding time to go to the beach in between work, school and everything in between, can be challenging.
Being Bored Vs. Being Busy
High School: "What do you want to do?" "I don't know, what do you want to do?"
College: "Hey, want to hang out next Tuesday?" "Sorry, I'm booked until three months from now!"
Exercising Vs. Exercising Often
Before college, the idea of exercising was always there, it just wasn't always necessary. Now, after nine months of having the drunchies and stress eating during exams, exercising becomes a must.
Having All Your Friends In One Place Vs. Having All Your Friends Spread Out
One thing you had in common with all your high school friends was proximity. You were typically all from the same town, knew all the same people and could easily get together. After attending a large university, you meet people from all over the place. These people become your friends, and it is hard to leave them when summer comes around.
Working For A Paycheck Vs. Working To Build Your Resume
Remember that summer job you worked to afford the clothes you wanted, gas for your first car and outings with your friends? Your summer job in college is now used to pay for rent, food and textbooks.
As we grow older, our responsibilities are subject to change. With more responsibility comes more freedom, however. Although summer may not be the same as it used to be, it is still a time to catch up with old friends, and enjoy the little things whether it be at home or somewhere new.
