Summertime

Summertime. That mythical time of year when pools are open, ice cream is almost a requirement, and the kids are out of school.

I can separate my experiences with summer into three distinct periods: Homeschooler Summer, College Student Summer, and Teacher Summer. All share the feeling of time not being real and amazing experiences, but they also have the things that make them special.

Homeschooler Summer

Growing up homeschooled, there almost weren't distinct seasons to the year. My mom gave us the freedom, especially once we got a little older, to complete our school work as far in advance as we would like. Therefore, there were some days when I decided not to do any schoolwork because I was a week ahead and wanted to do something else.

The activities and free time that many kids see as distinctly summer activities were daily occurrences for me; going outside and exploring for hours on end, playing video games, and more. I didn't make a distinction between the seasons other than if I needed to wear a coat or not, and that was just fine with me.

I have wonderful memories of growing up as a homeschooler, having the independence to do practically whatever I wanted whenever I wanted (within reason - my chores still had to be done). I credit this period in my life for my vivid imagination. I had plenty of time to let my imagination wander, creating scenarios for my siblings and friends and acting them all out together, which led to my desire to become a writer.

Things changed a bit when I started college.

College Student Summer

Starting college as a lifelong homeschooler was a challenge, to say the least. While I was able to get into routines of classes, studying, and a couple of extracurriculars, I found that the one constant of being a student was being tired.

While I didn't stay up until 2 am or attend late-night parties, I still found myself generally feeling exhausted. It got worse when I started theatre, attending three-hour rehearsals after a full day of class. Though at first sleeping in public was something that gave me anxiety, I soon happily found a little couch in the corner and took naps whenever I could between classes. When I started working in the costume shop, my boss was so understanding and allowed me to nap when there was nothing else to be done in the shop.

So when summer came, all that I wanted to do was sleep. I used to laugh at the stereotype of the student who would come home for summer and do nothing but sleep, emerging only for food and maybe to do laundry, but I soon realized the truth behind the stereotype. If you saw me before noon, you were lucky.

My college summers also held another little piece of magic that utilized my imagination; the summer musical.

The community theatre in my college down did - and still does - a summer musical revue which serves as the annual fundraiser. Members of the theatre, generally those who have been long-time volunteers, will pitch their ideas for the revue. Once picked, they'll hold auditions (though almost everyone has a place found for them), and begin almost daily rehearsals.

I tended to find the most enjoyment in these shows, primarily because my brainpower wasn't competing with projects and due dates. I always had fun with my castmates and even got to sing lead on a few songs.

Show weeks were arguably the best part. The cast and crew participated in "Secret Pals." Before the show began running, we'd fill out questionnaires about each other and draw names. You would use that questionnaire to give your Secret Pal little gifts every night before the show, along with a poem that would hint at your identity. It kept us guessing night after night, especially during the champagne social held immediately after each show. Finally, we would reveal who we were with a bigger gift on the night of the cast party after the last show of the run.

It was so much fun, especially once my two youngest siblings got involved in the community theatre with me.

In addition, I worked as the Assistant Director for the children's show, which encompassed the month of June and was almost like a theatre summer camp. I learned a lot about working with kids and parents, as well as the multiple parts that go into creating children's theatre.

When I began my Master's degree and moved away from my college town, I got to experience a new type of summer; Teacher Summer.

Teacher Summer

One of the perks of being a teacher is that school is out for the summer - at least, that's what people say. I've had mixed experiences with Teacher Summer.

The summer after my first year of grad school, I moved to a new city to begin my teaching career in the fall. I moved in July, and it was my first time living truly on my own with no roommates. Since I didn't start until August, I had no income, so budgeting was my friend. I spent my time in my apartment, doing puzzles, reading, and watching TV. While the sleeping and relaxing were the same as the previous student summer, there was a distinct air of stress as I ate pop tarts, grits, and eggs to save money until my parents came, saw the state of my kitchen, and filled my fridge and cupboards.

The next summer was a little better, though it wasn't exactly filled with rest. I moved from Mississippi to Maryland as well as going on a trip with some friends to Cancun. Such a long move was stressful, and ill-timed on my part considering our already-planned vacation. But I made it happen, and that summer was great.

The unfortunate thing about some school districts is that not all of them will stretch your check across more months so that you get paid during the summer. So I was forced to find ways to make ends meet. One summer I did tutoring; one summer I worked at a summer camp; for two years I taught summer school, one virtual and one in person. I even worked as an academic assistant for a pre-college program.

Thankfully, the school that I currently work at does pay me over the summer. The year before last had been an extremely difficult one for me, so I was happy to just stay home, read, write, and work on self-improvement projects. The same is true for this summer, though I've tried to be more structured with my time off. (It hasn't quite worked, though; some days I just want to sleep in. And I'm not entirely sure what day it is at any given time.)

There are so many projects that I try to work on during the school year, but teaching takes a lot out of you. I've made so much progress in the almost month that I've been out of school for the summer, and I'm very happy about that fact.

These three types of summer have been filled with amazing experiences. I'm thankful to have experienced them, and I can't wait to see what the next summer will bring.

In the meantime, let me try and figure out what day it is.