Every year I look forward to summer. The weather, the beaches, the tan lines, the adventures... the list goes on and on.
When you're a kid, you don't have a care in the world. When I was under the age of 17, my biggest concern was if I wanted a halter top tan line or not. What the adults didn't tell you, or maybe they did and being kids no one chose to listen, is that one day you would grow up and have to become and act like a real life functioning adult.
What does this mean?
Busy, busy, busy. It means that instead of summers being filled with beaches and adventures, they're filled with work schedules and errands. When I was 16, I was on the beach 4 to 5 times a week. Now? Im lucky if I get there ONCE a week. My summers are no longer free do to as I please, I work 50 hours a week and sometimes even more than that.
Gone are the times of picking up and leaving to travel the world, at 20 years old, I am an adult now and am expected to act like one.
"Hey! I haven't see you in forever, wanna get lunch?"
"Hey! Let's hang out this summer!"
"Hey! Wanna go to the beach?"
The list goes on and on, it never stops. The phrase that I've become all too comfortable with, as I have to say it far too many times is "sorry, I can't, I have work." When people ask about the next day? It's a no to that as well. Why? Because if you're not working, you're preparing for work.
On the days you have off (if you're even lucky like that), you're time is probably spent sleeping, catching up on that R&R that doesn't seem to exist anymore.
While work isn't all bad, as it instills responsibility in young kids just starting out who seem to have none, sometimes it can get to be a little much. For college students like me who go away, Summer is pretty much the only time everyone is home in one place.
This being said, its pretty much the only time you get to see your home friends, which wouldn't be all bad if you guys didn't have to make plans around everyone's work schedules. Unfortunately the phrase of "I cant, sorry, I have work" comes back into play and suddenly, it seems as if the Summer is just wasting away.
While I love my job and all that it has taught me, it's normal to get aggravated every once in a while when things don't go as planned. Unfortunately life doesn't run smoothly 24/7 and thats just part of being an adult. I like to believe all the hard work will pay off in the end, but for now, it's just one day at a time.
