By Jamie Barrett | Reporter
As I have gotten older, the reality of summer has become increasingly disappointing. Movies like “High School Musical” and “Camp Rock” made me think everything I could hope for all school year long would magically happen during the summer. For a while, it seemed true, as I would be able to travel to the beach with my family or spend all day at the pool with my friends — but when I started to have other responsibilities, summer became just another season in the year.
As a child, summer was my favorite season, and looking back, I think it was because I was told it should be. It was so common to hear about summer being the best time of the year, and I guess I felt left out not agreeing. Things like the heat and bugs were just not what I had considered a good time. Since I was constantly trying to fight with my frizzy hair and not get sunburned, the fun paled in comparison to the cons.
As a teenager, summer did not get much better. Things like going to the beach or even hanging out with friends were just as they were before: excruciatingly sweaty. When the air around you is polluted with everyone’s nasty body odor, there is not much to do but bake in the grossness of it all. Going to festivals and amusement parks becomes less and less entertaining as time passes in the crowded heat, making you wish you had stayed home in the peaceful air conditioning.
Do not get me wrong: I welcomed having no classes for almost three months with open arms. But what happens when things like a summer job or classes take their place?
As I have seen since starting college, it is common for students to take up a summer job to save money for the upcoming school year or to earn a little extra money for the break. Summer may be a break from classes, but it is not a break from work.
It is also common to take summer classes. A lot of students want to get ahead on their courses, because who is going to pass up on the possibility of graduating a little early or making the workload easier during the school year — all at a cheaper cost?
The idea of summer being this beautiful time of year for a break is just not reality. Summer is a sweaty and preoccupied time. This is not to say that I have never had fun during the summer, because I have. I am just pointing out that it is not all it is talked up to be and that there are better seasons in the year.
