I am not sure if it is just my personality, or the fact that I happen to live in the California Valley, but Summer is not not my favorite season. Sure, I enjoy having a break off from school, spending time with family, catching up with friends, and having all the comforts of being home. But, three months is too much to be "relaxing". Having had a taste of independence, managing my own time, and occupying my time with productive activities, I get bored quickly at home. With that boredom comes frustration, I am not a person who can be home all day watching Netflix and eating pizza, I must have a purpose to get out of bed in the morning. This is why even with all the stress that comes with school, I thrive on it.

I hate to be that person but there is not much to do in my hometown. Our mall is close to dead, the summers are hot and dry with 100 + degree weather, and there is no direct transportation. Sure, we are close to the Bay Area and some beaches, but it is still a 2-3 hour drive away and as a broke college student, it is not possible to take many trips, meaning being stuck in an air-conditioned house all day (but that does not sound too bad right?)

Well, then comes the fact that I get used to having my own space while I live at college. Coming from a family with three younger siblings, there is no such thing as privacy or quietness. Yes, I love my siblings, they are the best when I need a laugh and always there when I need them, but when I need some quiet time or privacy they are always there too.

The heat in the California Valley is no joke. Temperatures can rise up to more than 110 degrees and it is the heat that will give you a headache and painful sunburns. This is why when there is a chance to escape to San Francisco or Monterey Bay, I will gladly take it. The heat is great for swimming and eating ice cream, but you must first apply 10 layers of sunscreen if you want to not get super tan or break out in hives from the heat (as in my case).

Being a young Mexican American woman still living at home, all home rules still apply to me. I can't just get up and leave on a trip with my friends without telling my mom where I am at all times. Another thing is not having any of my friends at walking distance to go on a random adventure together. It is much more difficult to spend time with my friends back home because everyone is doing their own thing: working, taking summer classes, and some even have their own families now.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being home and my hometown isn't all that bad. In no way am I complaining about my family or friends either. It's just when I am one month into relaxing, I am more than well rested enough to either go back to school or be productive in one way or another. So, instead of sitting here and bitterly complaining about having a boring summer, I am doing something about it! My mini (unofficial) Summer bucket list includes learning to cook real Mexican food, getting my drivers license (yes, I'm 19 and don' have my license yet, it's okay though because I am getting to it), take two classes to get ahead in minor, attempt to get a local internship, become a traveling expert for when I study out of state next semester, and take a memorable summer trip with my best friends.

I am probably not the only one that gets targeted by the summer blues, if you too have this problem, I encourage you to make the best of your situation and learn new things this summer!