As we grow older, we find that the summer is no longer just a time for tee-ball and swim team, for ice cream and vacations. Suddenly how you spend the summer is almost as important as how you spend your school year. Internships, summer classes, résumé building, or just making enough money to support yourself (and the Corner's economy) during the year mean summer isn't enough fun anymore.
This reality may bother incoming first-years as they prepare for their U.Va. life. I say to you: Do not be afraid. The reason why summer starts to suck so much is because the school year becomes so much better.
When you returned to high school from summer vacation, invariably people who you were good enough friends with to talk to during the school year, without being friends you hung out with during the summer (i.e. the girl with the locker next to you, your college counselor, the creepy kid who kept calling you) always asked the same question: "How was your summer?"
Now, first off, I would like to comment on their obvious lack of interest in your summer. No one really cares how your summer went. They just need a way to start a conversation. I hope you never thought otherwise.
Second, and more importantly, I would like to give an example of how summer changes as you grow older when you respond to this lackluster question.
Me at age 13: Awesome! I was on swim team and took tennis lessons and went to the beach and went to Michigan and lots of other wholesome stuff that my mom signed me up for!
Me at age 15: Good! I was in a theater workshop and met a boy and now he's my boyfriend. He can drive so he's cool.
Me at age 17: Fine. I had to get a job. It wasn't too many hours. We had a lot of bonfires and I drank three Smirnoff Ice's.
Me at age 19: It sucked. I work 50 hours a week and everything closes at nine at night, and the only thing I do for fun is go drink coffee at the 24-hour shady diner and go to the gym. I can't wait to go back to school.
Now, I understand some people do have enjoyable summers and do cool things. This happens for two reasons. One: they don't live in a tiny farm town outside Cleveland, Ohio, and two: they are over 21.
But this is all made okay when we enter Charlottesville in the fall. There is no other way to describe a college town but in the time-honored phrase -- "A place where the beer flows like wine, where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano."
Ah yes, C-ville is all this and more. There are places to go. There are people to see. None of these activities requires a car, parental permission (or even parental knowledge) and suddenly every night if you want to do something, you can. And by do something I don't mean go sit at Denny's and drink coffee and stare at people with mullets. I mean something fun. Although mullet watching can be enjoyable, it should not become a habit.
Why does C-ville offer so much more than your hometown? Take my hometown for an example. Ah, Chardon, Ohio.
Located in the historic Geauga County (Geauga means "raccoon" in American Indian), Chardon hosts the annual Maple Festival because we produce lots of Maple syrup. Therefore we must import scary looking carnival people who run rides like "The Scrambler" and that swinging pirate ship to celebrate. There is one high school, one middle school and two elementary schools. Even though I did not attend any of said schools, I still know most people in the community. Last summer when I got pulled over for speeding, the officer started asking me how my uncle was doing. I work with one of my cousins, and the most exciting thing all summer is the opening of a new Waffle House.
Again, I'll note here that you may live in an area that has more than a couple thousand people, and you're closer a mall or movie theater than a farm. Maybe your summers are not as bad. Still, the awesomeness of residing in an area with peers who also are mostly supported by their parents, yet free from any of their rules makes any sort of summer at home tainted.
The downside to school? The actual schoolwork of course; when you have to wake up hung over or really tired and go to discussion. The upside to this though, is that A) some lectures can be missed, without any consequences to your grade. If you can work the system right, that ten o'clock suddenly disappears. B) Call me a dork, but most of my classes are pretty interesting. I've had a couple awful TAs, but the actual classes were vastly better than the AP European History class I had junior year.
College work cannot be compared to the hours we spent waiting for 3 p.m. when we could go to track practice, eat dinner with our families, do homework and talk online. Now, you can talk online all day. And it's wonderful.
Yes, the summer has benefits, like getting a tan and making money, seeing old friends and getting mom to do laundry, but I'll be pale and poor any day just to get back to C-ville and all that it offers.
And now that you know about Chardon, feel free to invite me to visit.
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