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Expectations vs. Realities of Summer

Jul 12, 2016

Summer vacation; what everyone has been waiting for. Finally done with school for the year and off to recovering from the stress and workload of being a student. Many have high expectations of what their summer will be: filled with beach trips, love interests and spending every moment with friends. But when reality sets in, you soon discover summer isn't all its out to be.

No more school work

Expectation: "Schools out so no more school work, right? I can finally burn all my notebooks and throw everything away! School's over woohoo!"

Reality: "You want me to do what, Mom? Study for future exams, take summer courses? Who do you think I am, some sort of genius? You already signed me up? Are you serious Mom!?"

Money

Expectation: "Who cares about money?! I probably have a lot saved in my account. Can't wait to go on all these day trips and shopping sprees with all my free time!"

Reality: "Wow I'm so broke, I have to get a job. Uhh Mom, can you give me some money please, I'm begging you."

Getting a job

Expectation: "Okay, got a job. It's okay, they probably only need me to work like once a week. Maybe they'll pay me like $15 an hour, that sounds about right. Can't I get a job where I can do nothing?"

Reality: "Oh my God, I'm working 5 days a week, and how much are they paying me? How many hours do I have to work a day? Wow I hate my job, but I need the money. I NEED THE MONEY!"

Chores

Expectation: "Since it's summer, no chores right? Mom and Dad will be home all the time, they can just do the dishes and laundry, I wont have to anymore!"

Reality: "What? Just because it's summer doesn't mean I don't do chores anymore? But I just had to go to school for a year, this is my break. Can I at least get paid now? I'm broke."

Spending time with friends

Expectation: "Thank God it's summer, now I get to spend all my time with my friends! We'll go to the beach, shopping and go to parties! SO much fun!"

Reality: "When are you free, oh never? Okay yeah me too, I'm working all week. Maybe we can hang out maybe next Tuesday? Are you free then, too?"

Getting tan

Expectation: "I'm not going to wear any sunblock this entire summer. Hopefully I'll get a nice golden. Everyone's going to be so jealous!"

Reality: "Yes Mom, I put on sunblock. I don't know why I got so sun burnt. Don't worry, it will turn into tan eventually! Wow, these tan lines are awful."

Perfect summer bod

Expectation: "Yes, finally got that six pack I've been working so hard for! Yes, I go to the gym everyday, run three miles everyday, 100 crunches and pull ups. I even have a 6 minute mile."

Reality: "Oh yeah, I just signed up for the gym. Have I gone yet? Uh, I went to sign up, haha... I'll have that perfect summer bod in no time!"

Vacations

Expectation: "We're going to Hawaii?! And we're buying a GoPro?! Wow this trip is going to be awesome. What, staying on a condo right on the beach?! Maybe we'll swim with dolphins too and cliff jump!!"

Reality: "We're going to the beach again, sweet! But wait will there be wifi? Can we take cool pics like all those Instagram famous accounts? No, okay. I have to share a bed with whom? No way."

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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"I don't want to do things. I want to not do things."

1. When you look at the syllabus and realize there are only three weeks of the semester left; even though the first day was LITERALLY yesterday.

2. You look at your grades and realize they probably aren't as high as they should be, which is a terrifying realization.

3. When you think to yourself at night, "tomorrow, I will wake up early and go to the library ALL day, and, hell, maybe after I'll go to the gym for a little bit, just to push myself that extra mile."

4. Tomorrow actually comes. The inevitable and overpowering sense of procrastination is too strong to overcome.

5. But you DO end up going to the library. Not all day though, but still, a while. But no, you do not go to the gym. Still, you made an effort, so you decide to treat yo' self.

6. When you realize you need to schedule a meeting with your adviser because you need to sign up for classes next semester. But you also realize that since you waited until the last minute, you're going to get stuck with all of the crappy classes.

7. When you low-key try to slip into conversation with your professors that you need extra credit because you're that desperate.

8. When it's already the third time you've seen your adviser in two days because you have no damn clue what you're doing and need all the help you can get.

9. When you apply for a job associated with your major even though you have no experience, but you just want to dive headfirst into the deep end of adulthood and get it over with.

The world is not always sunshine and rainbows, and you do not have to be, either.

It would be so much easier to just pay someone to do it for you

1. Figuring out when to start

2. Searching through list after list to get everything you need

3. Shopping for deals

4. Getting bins to put everything in

5. Figuring what you can’t live without

6. Going through clothes to find what you need

7. Finding out your siblings took something from you

8. Fighting with your parents.

9. Trying to plan things with your roommate

10. The fear of forgetting something

11. Move in day

Relatable moments from one of the best shows I have ever watched.

1. When you fail that midterm you studied so hard for.

2. When your crush finally texts back.

3. When payday comes around.

4. When you accidentally like someone's picture from 108 weeks ago.

5. When someone takes your unassigned assigned seat.

6. When your favorite character in your favorite TV series dies.

7. When that guy/girl you’ve been crushing on agrees to go on a date with you.

8. When you have so much to do, and such little motivation to do it.

9. When someone asks for your last fry.

10. When you try a new health-food craze.

11. When you get new clothing.

12. When you check your bank account.

13. When they're serving good food in the dining hall.

14. When someone tries to tell you what to do.

15. Or just your thoughts about life in general.

We all have that "I don't care" attitude.

1. Most students just take life day by day.

2. That means procrastinating, one day at a time.

3. College students don't mind dressing like crap sometimes.

4. In fact, dressing nice feels weird.

5. College students get so stressed that they contemplate dropping on a daily basis.

6. But most find another solution to deal with that stress.

7. And that solution can be pretty cheap. Anything over $5 is expensive.

8. One of the only things college students will spend money on is coffee.

9. College is just really expensive and you never forget how expensive it is.

10. But hey, we're getting a somewhat high-quality education, right?

11. We all really just want to pet dogs all day.

12. And eat pizza for every meal.

13. And stab the next person who asks us what we want to do with our life.

14. However, despite the stress and student loans, college is amazing and there's plenty of reasons to smile.

Thank you, April, for inspiring us with your wicked relatability.

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