Well well well. Second post of the summer…with only one month of the summer left to go! That’s right, folks, in less than one month I will officially be starting the process of no longer being a Texas resident (heartbreaking, isn’t it?). The move to grad school takes place in 28 days, and a new segment of my growing up begins.
This summer has continued to be an extraordinary learning experience for me. When I say extraordinary, I don’t mean that it’s been full of “eureka!” moments, lightning-bolt revelations, far-out adventures, or anything else that I would normally call extraordinary. No, this summer has been out of the ordinary for its very noticeable LACK of any kind of excitement. At all. As mentioned before, my days have fallen into a very specific rut. Work and working out, with the occasional outing with friends. My birthday passed VERY inconspicuously and almost unimportantly. I still have three weeks before I head out for the only adventures of my summer—two weddings and a cross-country drive to school.
However, even without adventures of any kind, I HAVE been learning this summer. I’ve learned lots about myself and how I operate. For example, I work best with at least 8 hours of sleep and 2 cups of coffee in the morning. Minor things, maybe, but if I want to be at ALL a contributing worker in my assistantship next year, I’m going to need to remember those things. I’ve also learned that, although I like solitude, every once in a while I DO need my friends. I am very blessed with a group of high school friends that has kept in touch even after the past four years, and they have definitely lightened the monotony of this summer. I have also come to appreciate the fact that I need my college friends, too. Without weekly phone calls from some of my best friends, my solitude would definitely have already turned to loneliness.
Surprisingly, I’ve learned that I miss learning in an academic setting. Life without school itself, without peers and professors and discussions and readings, is NOT a life that I want to have right now. I respect all of you who have already started working for your living, because I cannot imagine (right now, anyway) a life without school in my immediate future. I LOVE learning new things, and although my life lessons have helped, I am READY to be back in the classroom.
I’ve learned more about what motivates me…and what doesn’t. I’ve learned about life through watching and interacting with my parents, and what they do to make our family work. (I’m definitely taking notes on that and storing them up for eventual use). I’ve learned that, even if my job isn’t my favorite, coming home to my room and my bed at the end of the day can solve MOST of my problems.
I’ve learned practical things, too. I learned how to check my tire pressure. I learned how to eat and live healthfully (a continuing process, I assure you). I learned how gift wrap better, how to keep a boutique looking neat and exciting, and how to appreciate soccer more. (Thank you, World Cup 2010).
I don’t know how much I’ve changed so far over this summer. I don’t know if there’s a gauge for “maturity” (which I’m DEFINITELY learning is a subjective term), and if my little indicator needle has been scooting its way infinitesimally towards “adult.” I don’t know how much I WANT to be considered an “adult,” because if I’ve learned one thing so far, growing up is HARD.
I think one of the most important lessons I’ve learned so far this summer is that not only do I need help during this growing up process, the best thing I can do to make my process easier is to be there for others while THEY grow up. Not just my friends, but my parents, too (FYI: your parents don’t have any more fun being an adult than you do!
So now the waiting game continues. I wait with bated breath ‘til I get to go on my short vacations for weddings and visits. I wait with anxiety and with EXTREME excitement for my move to graduate school. And I wait to see what other lessons this summer will throw at me, in the short time it has left.
Until next time!
