There's always a certain amount of dread that approaches me as August begins and ends within the blink of an eye. It's a sign that the end is nigh- its last month of freedom for many students. Some only get one week in the month to enjoy it, others have already started or maybe you have until September, fortunately. Although August has 31 days, at least 28 of those days are spent either actively preparing for school, or facing the existential dread of summer's end and the semester's beginning. Common thoughts may include:

Wondering if you've made the most of the summer

Wondering why summer break can't last into September until the season of summer actually ends (September 21st, in case you didn't know)

Wondering if you should go back to school, maybe you're better off going on a road-trip forever, becoming a nomad and wandering the country to find your true purpose in life

Or maybe it's none of these things and you've been incredibly bored of the long summer days and actually want school to start so that you could have something to do. Either way, this is the time of year where it's important to not regret the things we haven't done, but to reflect on what we have done and appreciate the time we get off.

College is stressful, that's an understatement. But fortunately, to compensate for all of the stress that students go through, we get a get a gift- three, in some cases, four months off to relax, destress and to not have to deal with the daily grind that we have to try to manage everyday. And not everyday is spent in class taking notes or falling asleep during 3 hour lectures and night classes, but the stress can linger. Summer is a gift that we never want to take for granted. It can be filled with expectations, many that are within our reach and some that can be far fetched. Personally, as I look back on my summer there are things I wish I could've gotten to and could've done differently. For starters, If you're anything like me you're a workaholic- every chance you get you try to fill it with trying to make some money so that you can either save it for important future things or spend it on the only drink you get at Starbucks almost every week. For me, I worked to pay off my semester, which many of us also try to achieve.

But sometimes I look back and wonder if there could've been days that I did work that maybe I should've requested off. Or not have taken those extra shifts after working my first job in the morning. Just note that if you are a workaholic, that although it is great to be busy making some extra cash, that you have to balance it with not only fun and friends, but taking care of yourself. That's one thing that this summer has taught me and I am grateful for the lesson.

Something this is very closely tied to working all the time is self-care; during the semester this is extremely hard to do so summer break is the perfect time to define some important self care practices and put them into action. However, school was replaced by work on my end so again self care was difficult. Always make time for you- whether it's an evening after work or taking an unpaid 30 minute break during a long shift to just breathe and not be at work- those few moments of you time is more important than you think.

On a more positive note, there were more positive aspects of my summer that I think about now that its ending and that I'm so proud that I've done. One of my goals was to secure an internship- and I did. It was on a whim and I didn't see it coming, which was the most exciting part, but this internship has been the highlight of my summer by far. Another goal that I'm proud of is that I actually took a vacation which I definitely enjoyed especially with my heavy work schedule. Going on my first plane ride, visiting a new place and just being away from the everyday hussle and bussle was so therapeutic. Even if you didn't get to go anywhere far or "new", day trips are also a great way to escape the everyday grind.

I guess the main thing to remember as summer winds down is to remember that even if you didn't do everything you wanted to see that it's not a once in a lifetime opportunity- summer comes back around every year. Planning helps saves time wondering how you'll spend the time you have off, and even if you don't plan- going with the flow helps too. I found that most of my memorable summer experiences have been the ones that have happened randomly, sporadically and by taking a chance. And I encourage anyone to take chances because they can create the best memories.