Everything that you thought you knew about summer quickly changed when you clicked “register” under a course listed for “summer semester 2015.” At the time, you had no idea that you were signing your life (or, to be less dramatic, summer) away. Now you’re stuck feeling like Ariel when she signed over her voice to Ursula for land legs.

Here are several things that make every summer school student feel like they are riding the eternal struggle bus.

Always having class the next morning. Wave goodbye to the daily summer routine of staying out every night past 2 a.m.; you can even bid farewell to staying out past 10 p.m. most nights. Turning down a spontaneous drive to the ocean front with your best friend with the excuse of “I’ve got class in the morning” has never hurt more than on a warm summer night.

Never finding that “free time” that you swore all semester you would get come May. “It’s summer! I can finally learn how to play my guitar, make every healthy meal I’ve saved onto my Pinterest board, and trade that Freshman 15 for a set of abs and a golden tan!” SPOILER ALERT: not one of these things actually gets accomplished when summer classes come into play.

Working harder to obtain the most basic staple. You spent every waking moment of the fall and spring semesters detesting the university dining halls and their odd, gelatin-like chicken sandwiches. If only somebody would have told you that feeding yourself would take a lot more time (and let’s be honest, money) than walking across the hall to the magical land where one swipe of a plastic card gets you unlimited food, you would have loved every bite of that day-old banana pudding.

THE HEAT. Just when you thought walking to class in the snow was the most uncomfortable experience, the universe uncovers the petrifying humidity and stickiness that summer brings along (which usually becomes all-consumed by the thighs when wearing shorts).

No more beach vacations. Oh, your family is going to OBX for a week in July? You can’t go because you’re being held hostage by your textbooks? Same. Maybe they’ll bring you back saltwater taffy and a mason jar of sand.

Being more broke than you ever imagined possible. Okay, let’s be honest, you’re not even close to being “broke.” However, totaling the costs of two $1,200 sessions of summer classes, $500/mo. on housing for the summer, $400 of textbooks, weekly $30 grocery runs, and $60/mo. on gas, you find a handy $5 that you can spend on anything you want that week! Wahoo!

Missing your family, significant other, and best friend. Lucky for me, all three of those live in the same city, so I can kill three birds with one stone in one monthly trip home to see them. However, you cannot help but wish they were around to help you cope with the inevitable panic attacks induced by accelerated classes about eight times a week. Good thing Skype is so readily available!

Not ever finding an appropriate time and place to wear your cute summer dresses. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by cold classrooms and uncomfortable lab stools.”

Though 9 times out of 10 we find ourselves complaining about summer classes, they do hold some benefits. You ARE going to be 8 credits ahead of everybody come the fall semester. That intensive Anatomy class that’s been taunting your course planner will be a thing of the past after only three months! Of course we miss those carefree summer nights, but at the end of the day, we are lucky to be given the opportunity for college at all! Many people around the world share the dream of spending the whole calendar year expanding their minds and being around their peers every day. We can do this; it's only for three months! And to those who, like myself, stress over accelerated class exams, in the wise words of Danny Tanner: “It’s no big deal, it’s just a test!”