I don't love a lot of things, but I definitely love the idea of summer. Summer is that time of year that every college student anxiously awaits because finals have taken about every ounce of energy we had saved for the end of the semester. We like to think that summer is the time when we are all able to relax and have fun; with little to no responsibilities. Summer is the time to catch back up with life and a time to slow down and enjoy what is happening around you. Most would even say that summer is the best time of year. It's the time to hang out with all of the friends we haven't seen since we left for school last fall.

But as we get older, we need to use our summers more effectively. That includes a summer job, internship, or summer research. College is the stepping stone for leaving home and having to take care of yourself. So when summer comes around and you get to come back home to Mom and Dad, they expect more, as they should. Our free summer of "daygers" and shore days come to a halt. The time we once had for care-free days and fun-filled nights becomes work-filled days and sleep-filled nights so we can keep doing the work-filled days. Sure, you have weekends off and maybe every other Tuesday but this is the taste of the real world.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love summer! You get to see your high school friends and spend some good quality time with family! And sure, it is possible that as college students home for the summer, many jobs might let you have an extra day off here and there or the week you always get off for family vacation. But for the first time I realized that the summer we see in movies isn’t reality. It takes a lot more than a spontaneous decision and your three closest friends to go on a fun weekend getaway as a struggling college student on a budget. Money doesn’t grow on trees and we can’t expect our parents to fund us all the way until graduation. We also need resume builders and experience.

However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Since you have no ties to school, maybe take an internship in a different state or go away to a different country on a mission trip. Building towards your future doesn’t have to be lame. And the realities of summer might not seem like you can twist them to your advantage, but you totally can. Take the summers of your college years and make them memorable, while still helping towards your future. Try and have a good steady job for a couple weeks, then maybe go and teach english to third world countries, I don’t know, but make it yours. Summer can still be the best time of your life even if it isn’t the kind you see on television.