OK, so let's be frank here. It has begun — the beginning of the end is upon us and it isn't nearly as terrifying as it sounds — it's really just annoying. Some of you know what I'm talking about. For the rest of you, let me explain. As of last week-ish, emails came out asking for Welcome Weekend Leaders at Muskingum University, and that can only mean one thing. We have entered the season of "Back To School." 
That means that, with few holidays between now and August, the thing that you'll be hearing increasingly on TV, YouTube ads, Pandora ads, Spotify ads and the radio is the voice of what can only be described as an excited mouse on helium asking you to "Come to our Back-To-School sale." Or maybe you'll articles titled things like "12 reasons the summer isn't over yet." "What you think you need but actually don't this upcoming school year," or "Why it's OK to want to go back to school." Backpacks will begin to creep to the front of stores, and what's the worst part for those of us who are actually affected by this traumatic season? The people, machines and in-betweens are right. Summer is coming to a close. We will soon have to pick up our books (or pillows in the case of business majors) and stand ready to once again face the tide of papers, labs, assignments and the dreaded exams. That day will soon come.
Aragorn's right, though. We will have the joy of seeing our friends from academia again very soon. We still have several weeks until the average school semester will begin. So relax, enjoy the rest of summer, "Pokemon GO" and probably working several minimum wage jobs so as to be able to afford whatever your truly excessive student loans don't cover in textbooks. Not doing it for you?
Well, then the question becomes: how do we face the endless road that seems to stretch out between here and all the good things about returning to academia, while dealing with the oncoming storm that is everything that is annoying about going back to school? Please circle your answer (do not actually circle anything on your computer with a Sharpie. That is nonsense, it seems like a good idea at first. It is not. Trust me.)
1. Denial
What problems? Summer ends? Trump is running for President? Life is going to be like this forever. I'm just going to be here on this couch until I go to work and then I'll be back on this couch.
2. Immersion
There are so many things to do during summer, OMG! "Suicide Squad," the Olympics, ice cream, jumping up and down, running in circles until I fall over...
3. Counting
Only six weeks, four days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 46 seconds, 26 milliseconds, and 02 nanoseconds, until school starts!
4. All of the Above to a certain extent
Meh, it is what it is, and a balanced life is never uninteresting at least.
