“From school to summer – is it lowkey a bummer?”
Ah yes, Summer vacation. What a great thing. Many think of the great “104 days of summer vacation!” as Phineas and Ferb once said.
I think it’s undeniable that teachers and students alike enjoy summer vacation. You spend most of your year in school, grinding away, doing homework for regular, honors, and AP courses, managing your social life and even working (I can say many things). You could best believe that having back-to-back weeks upon weeks of free time is the ultimate reward like the light at the end of a long long tunnel.
My friends and I already wrote about this, but there are many reasons why summer is great. You can do so many things outdoors and indoors and have all the time in the world to do it as many times as you want. The best part is, that you can go on a double vacation (going to a hotel or a resort as a vacation while you are already on your summer vacation).
You already know that I am pumped for vacation. I feel like everything happening in the last few months has been building up to the sweet sweet sound of the final bell as I go home for the break.
Despite all this excitement, I must say a few words on the contrary.
There’s something mildly saddening about leaving for vacation. Saying goodbye isn’t exactly my strong suit. Just the thought of ending a school year and moving to the next feels humbling. You know that in a few months, you will be “back on the horse” and getting right back into the swing of things, but that isn’t going to be for a bit.
It’s more just the feeling of ending something. When I end a school year I feel sad knowing some students I won’t be seeing again because they’re moving. You also might have some friendships that “dry out” over the summer and are nonexistent when you come back. It’s the feeling of reflecting on the relationships you made with people and thinking about what you did wrong and what you succeeded in.
To add, sometimes saying bye to a teacher for the summer can feel odd. I say this because you know that unless this is their last year teaching, you will see them in the hallways a lot. Sometimes, a teacher just isn’t the same after you have a class with them. They also have to deal with many other students and classes they teach. Teachers don’t forget about you, but you might not get much time to talk with them when you’re done with their class. Like with students, people become busy over the summer, and you may just end up forgetting about them.
If I could summarize the sad parts, it’s this: saying goodbye to people who’ve gone from acquaintances to friends can be sad if you know your friendship might not be around when you come back. And with teachers, you might not ever have a class with them again, which can be rough if they were fun teachers, like most of mine. You also may have your regrets for mistakes you might;ve made along the way.
On the bright side, this isn’t all sad. While leaving for the summer can feel odd or somewhat sad, it’s important to remember the good things. You made it through whatever grade you were just in (10th grade for me), and you have a newfound sense of completion. Take it with a grain of salt, but you are one step closer to graduating and starting your adult life. And as I said earlier, you also have plenty of things to look forward to doing this summer.
So make sure to say goodbye to all the teachers you liked, and the friends you made along the way. You will most likely see them next year too, but in case you don’t, leave a few good words. Once you do, make sure to enjoy your vacation free time.
Have a great summer vacation.
