College is an interesting time in our lives. The first time off, you’re ready to leave the nest. You’re going to miss the familiar friends and family and the accessibility, but you’re so ready for something new. Then you get there, and the first month or semester, depending on distance and your experiences, is really rough. You miss home more than you thought, and making friends is harder than you expected. However, once you settle into your groove, you’re going, having the time of your life. By the end of the semester after all of the fun and stress, you might be ready to head home for a little, but you are not ready for what summer brings.

This summer, the first since school, is full of changes. Around you and within you. First of all, you realize that “summer” as you knew it, is not going to be like it used to be. If you didn’t before, you’ll most likely be working, and if you’re not working, you are probably doing summer school. Days will be busier, and scheduling things with people will be harder

Another thing you learn is that things aren’t the same as when you left. Maybe when you get back there are new buildings, everyone is a year older, and you feel like you missed an entire year. I thought my brother had finished freshman year this year, when in reality he is about to be a junior. Some of this is easier to accept than others.

Also, you will realize that not everyone comes home. Some of my best friends that I haven’t seen since winter break haven’t even come home. Summer programs with their school, jobs in different states with school friends, summer camps—who knows what. You don’t just get home and everyone is home. Even harder, everyone may not call home, “home.” When people’s kids go to college, some parents don’t see as strong of a reason to live in your town as they did when you were in school there. This realization is probably one of the hardest things, because it really is hard to imagine those staple friends from your town not returning to their homes. People are growing up, some no longer live with their parents, some parents move—you’re not in the land of high school summer nights anymore. Sure, there are some reunions and fun times, but it seems like there is always someone missing.

Being with friends from home again is great—always a nice reunion, with plenty to talk about—but you also realize that your lives have kind of split paths. And not split as in you will break apart, but it seems like your best friends have a second life and other friends that you know nothing about. It’s definitely a transition that makes you think about how big the world is and the roots you are putting down elsewhere.

Not everything that changes over the summer is sad or weird though, don’t get me wrong! One of the nice things is that people start thinking about who they are and what they want to do. Sure this sounds cliché, but you learn about yourself at school: what you like, what you are interested in. And fortunately or unfortunately, you are pressed to think about your future! So, over the summer it seems like you are always talking about people’s hopes and dreams for the future. It’s an interesting change from the old conversations about petty high school drama and college choices. One that is welcome, but also overwhelming in the enormity of all the decisions you are making.

Summer, when you’re not stressed with schoolwork, gives you time to think about what you want. It gives you time to explore career paths you might not have thought of before, research internships, get ideas from others for cool stuff you can do. Take the time, even if you have a lot on your plate, to think of ideas for next break or next summer. You want to enjoy what you do, so take your home time to look into ideas.

Your summer back is yet another transition period, one that takes adjusting to. In the end though, you get to see family and friends. You get to explore your future life ideas. And once you get used to the relaxation and speed around home, you get to look forward to the next school year. Don't let it speed by too fast!