In only two short weeks, the Spring semester will end, and all of the college students will be free! Sounds kind of like a fairy tale, right? Well, for us, it kind of is. We may not be in classes for eight hours a day like we were in high school, but with heavier course loads, working a full-time or part-time job, managing a social life, trying to live a healthy lifestyle, and getting enough rest, things can get very exhausting. This is the time of the semester where students are feeling burnt out. They have exhausted all of their energy into pushing through the semester. Physically, our bodies are exhausted from running from one building to another, and we are left feeling tired and lethargic. We are emotionally weak because we feel overwhelmed and tired. Our brains are crammed with information and deadlines to where it feels like we can not take it anymore, but it is ok because Summer is just along the horizon.
I am excited for Summer to come because I get to return to my job at the daycare. Now, I can imagine some people wondering why I am so excited about this, and I can honestly say that I love this job more than any other job that I have had. I love having the opportunity to be around kids and learn about teaching through hands on approaches. Plus, with full time hours, my bank account fills up faster than when I am working on campus, which means I will have plenty of money to pay for my textbooks for the Spring semester.
Another thing that I am excited about is the warm weather. It will be nice to sit out in the sun and catch some rays, even if it means I turn as red as a tomato. Warm days mean more trips to the pool, the amusement park, and hanging out with friends. When it is cold, I feel less interested in going outside to do anything. I would much rather stay inside in my sweatshirt than take on Jack Frost.
The thing I am most excited for, however, is getting to sleep in on the weekends. I can imagine my grandpa teasing me and asking why I would “waste my Summer that way,” but for me, it is all about recovery. Sitting in a classroom may not seem exhausting, but it gets exhausting when you are staring at screens all day. After classes, I will either go to the gym or go to work, so I am moving all day long before I finally get to go to bed, and once I lay down, I am wired, and I struggle to sleep.
Summer is just around the corner, and I am so excited for a break, whether it means I get to sleep in a little, hang out with friends, or finding a way to better myself. Only a few more weeks left, college students! Hang in there!
