Summer in a lot of ways feels like a transitionary period. A sort of "mid-year waiting room," if you will. We just got out of our busy classes, jobs, etc., and now we are waiting for whatever is to come in the fall, be it the continuations of those busy tasks or the dawn of new ones. Toward the end, people will moan things such as, "It feels like summer has lasted forever" or claim they are ready to get back into the "swing of things." But why is that? Why do we anticipate this transitionary period for most of the year, and then wish it away once it appears?
A lot of it, I assume, has to do with relationships.
Be them close, like best friends or lovers, or casual like work or school friendships, we crave interacting with others. In the absence of human interaction, we end up loathing our current position and long for it to change, no matter how much we wanted to be in that exact position before. It is a lot like the story from "Inside Out", where Riley tries to be excited and make light of her new hometown only to progressively grow sadder as memories of her hockey teammates and old memories flashed before her eyes. We part from a lot of the people we normally interact with when summer comes along, and when we realize they are not around, we grow sad. We look to fall as a reunion with those people, and thus shift our mindsets from "I cannot wait for summer" to "I wish school would come back so I can see my friends again."
Aside from relationships, I imagine wishing away summer has a lot to do with the uncertainty of having no routine.
Summer is great because a lot of obligations go away, daily tasks such as homework cease, and early 8 a.m. wakeup calls, for the most part, turn into waking up at noon, rolling out of bed, and hoping you have the energy to heat up some "brunch." However, a good number of people need structure to function. They look at the freedom to do anything and the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what to do and feel anything from anxiety to sheer confusion. What do you do when you suddenly have all the time in the world? The opportunities are endless, and that can be overwhelming alone. Throw in having to set your own schedule for these opportunities on your own time, and overwhelming might not even be able to fully describe it.
Plus, life can get pretty boring over summer.
The fall/springtime of the year offers constant stimulation. Be that from work, school, activities, etc., we are offered plenty of opportunities to fit into our schedule as we please. Over summer, while there are some grand opportunities such as road trips or big family vacations to look after, the activities list goes down. Your city may become quiet, your friends may go away -- even the most fun of summers can have their low points. It is natural to want that excitement back into your life, regardless of how fun or not fun your summer was.
Whether you are wishing summer away because of missing friends, a lack of routine, or boredom, there is a bright side at the end of the tunnel. No matter how long summer may seem, it does end eventually. Try not to be so focused on what is to come that you lose sight and perspective of what you can make happen over summer. Cherish what time you do have with it. You'll be happier in the fall for it.
