You made it through the long, hard winter, the sun is finally shining, and all you want to do is curl up on a beach towel at Dunmore and take a nap. As you get lost in this day dream, you can't quite reconcile that nagging feeling that the next two weeks are going to be very work-intensive and you have a lot to accomplish before you leave for summer.

Now that the weather has hit above 60 degrees, people are breaking out the shorts and sundresses, and everyone is looking for ways to take advantage of all the beautiful adventures that Vermont has to offer. There is a limited window of time during the school year to take part in outdoor warm-weather activities, seeing as the rest of the year Midd is covered in snow and transformed into a winter wonderland.

The bittersweet feeling that summer is almost here inspires students to make the effort to spend time with their close friends before going off to different parts of the country or the world for the summer. While many look forward to whatever summer travels or jobs they have lined up, it also is sad to realize you won't be surrounded your closest friends from Midd every day. The quickly approaching deadline of summer vacation causes a slight sense of urgency for students to make the most of the next few weeks to be able to go into summer happy and satisfied.

At the same time, finals are quickly approaching, and the workload is drastically increasing. Any fun activities you participate in are made slightly less enjoyable by the voice in the back of your head telling you that there is something else you should be doing.

So basically, it's that awkward time of year again, when the long-awaited improvement in the weather is accompanied by the onslaught of finals, leading many students to face the dilemma that presents itself every May: How do I make the most of the last few weeks before summer while also completing all my work and studying for finals to the best of my ability?

The answer is simple: do both. Before you get angry at such a non-answer and stop reading this article, think about it: You always get your work done. In those weeks where it seems like everything is compiling and you have a plethora of social, academic and athletic events to attend, somehow you still are diligent about your work, finding the time to complete assignments and prepare for classes and exams.

There is something about taking the time to have fun with friends and spending time in the outdoors that seems to improve the efficiency and quality of work. If you lock yourself in the library all day on a Saturday, odds are your mind will wander and you will have a little bit of regret about not doing what you really wanted to do. There is no harm in taking a few hours to go hike Snake Mountain, go for a swim at Dogteam or go exploring around the area with friends. In fact, the fresh air and camaraderie may even increase your motivation and efficiency when it comes to completing your work. The days when I've had the most on my plate are the days that I've been the most efficient and gotten the most done at the highest quality; time seems to yield to allow for the completion of legitimate tasks.

So, go for it! Don't feel like you can't enjoy the springtime activities just because you feel guilty about not doing work. A swim at Dunmore will clear your head to help you brainstorm ideas for your paper, a hike up Snake will enlighten you for your philosophy project and darties can provide excellent opportunities to observe people as research for your sociology class. Springtime at Midd is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Allow time for fun and time for work, and you will be sailing into summer feeling happy and fulfilled in no time.