Summer Through the Ages

I am back with a good-old-fashioned lifestyle blog.

I don't know about you guys, but I am beyond ready for summer to begin, or at least I thought I was until summer actually happened.

I am a creature of habit. For the past nine months it has been some variation of wake up, drink your coffee, read your bible, go to class, start on homework, go to work, finish homework, go have social hour type of schedule. When all of that came to a screeching halt last Thursday night after my final final (haha, what a pun), I really didn't know what to do with myself, and I still don't really know what to do with myself.

Which got me thinking, what changed this summer compared to my past summers of unrelenting freedom?

Well, a lot did actually. I mean, I'm embarking on my final years of college, not looking forward to a new seating chart in my next year's third grade classroom. Summers through the ages change quite a bit, and that's what I wanted to explore.

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,Elementary school summers:
These were the days my friends. Limitless possibilities of summer plans and family vacations. In elementary school, the only thing that mattered in the month of May was half-days, field day, and of course the last day of school. ​I believe the countdown to the end started in February, mostly for math purposes, and so that my young self could learn exactly how days and months flew by without me ever noticing. Summer had everything to do with seeing mom and dad every day, and if you were lucky they would take you and your best friend of that week to the pool for popsicles. Essentially, this is still my dream summer, but all good things do seem to come to an end.

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Middle School Summers:
Looking back, finding any good memories of middle school is tough. I was awkward, and so desperately wanted the freedom I thought I could handle. Summer meant sleeping in until noon, just because I could (although science now points the the fact that my pre-adolescent body truly did need all that sleep mom and dad). Typically, anywhere fun I wanted to go was going to be accompanied

 or at least approved by what my parents wanted. For me this meant lots of weekends spent at the lake. It amazes me how long ago this photo was taken. I remember thinking I was too old to be hanging out with my dad on a beach. Now, I believe I was exactly where I needed to be. 

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High School Summers:
FINALLY! Freedom. At this point in our lives, we finally begin to make memories that last a lifetime. You can drive, and hopefully at this point have a little bit of your own money to spend. Late night sonic runs, trips to the river, you name it, everything feel possibile when you're in the midst of summer. Now, these summers seem to blend together, all of the sleepovers, lake days, and coffee dates. All of them packed neatly away in a single box in my head. These were they days we didn't want to end, but didn't know we could forget so quickly.

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Senior Year summer:
Man. This is the one that alway sticks out to me the most. Maybe it's because I'm still close to the time frame, or maybe it's because it mattered the most. I'm not sure. Better known as the summer of lasts, or the summer of uncertainty, it's a jam packed summer of choices, and mistakes. It's your last summer with your friends and you manage to squeeze every last drop out of it. At the same time, it's trying to find a balance of preparing yourself for the responsibilities that are coming for you once the fall comes back around. It's balancing family, friends, work, and a new college career ahead. All while still

trying to maintain the friendships that got you here in the first place. Pretending that goodbye's will never come, and Nebraska sunsets will never change. 

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 College Summers:
Here we are, my current stage of life. I wanted to write this blog so desperately as I continually acknowledge just how different these summers are than the previous. My camera roll looks different these during these summers. It's full of new faces and friends I didn't have before and having different adventures in new places I now call home. There's freedom yes,  but it's structured. Structured between a 9-5 job and online classes. A free summer doesn't feel normal anymore after you've successfully kept yourself busy for such an extended amount of time of time.

A co-worker and I were chatting across our desks the other day about how we didn't understand how everyone in the office was so content to just sit and work all day when it's so nice out. I replied by saying that maybe they just forgot what summer used to feel like before work came along.

While it was sad, it was most likely true. As we get older summers get busier, and new priorites over come old ones. Work gets in the way of lake days, and money is spent on rent instead of slushies. It isn't the season that changes, it's us. So if you get the chance, find your elementary summer again, and run with it.