When did summer become just as stressful as the school year? Summer is supposed to be about taking a break from school and relaxing, spending countless hours in the blistering sun, and catching up with the friends and family you have not seen since winter break. Summer should not be about waking up early and working every single day or spending more time at your job all summer than in your own home. All the hours of work may seem worth every minute once you got the paycheck, although, hearing all your friend’s stories about the beach and seeing all the pictures of the adventures they went on while you were stuck at work starts making you feel quite left out.

I knew I was giving up a lot this summer when I decided to take up two jobs and a summer class. I gave up time with my friends whom I barely get to see during the school year, and time with my family when they needed me the most. There were days where I was exhausted, sweaty, and felt like my life was the Titantic heading straight for the iceberg and all I wanted was a cold shower, a nap, and a hug but this summer also taught me a lot. I learned things such as dealing with unhappy customers, how to keep calm in the most stressful situations, how to roll myself out of bed, and also the true worth of the dollar that you worked for. And most importantly, I learned how crucial it is to take care of yourself. I am the type of person who feels bad saying no to anyone because I feel like I am going to let them down, but no one can handle anything and focusing on yourself does not make you selfish. The job that you spent your summer at is probably not the job you plan on doing for the rest of your life, but you need to take baby steps to be able to make it on your own. Although working my summer away may have less ups than downs, I did develop more responsibility and now I will be able to treat myself to dinner or new clothes without feeling guilty.