I know summer doesn’t technically begin for another 6 weeks, but for a 29-year old ‘school kid’ like myself, the end of the school year means it’s summer to me. Exams ended last week – I’ve been on break now for 8 days. I am still (and forever will be) working my full time job every day, but having JUST that to do has been WONDERFUL.
I’ve got another semester coming up in the fall, and then I will be studying for the bar exam all winter. After that, this “break” as I call it will become the new (or old, as it was pre-2008) normal for me again – no more school! Until then, I just need to focus on enjoying this few months of freedom. I successfully scheduled myself the worst semester ever this past spring, all in the name of having a relaxing summer and a manageable fall. Now that it’s here I have been thinking about what I want to make of it.
go running.
I am not the best runner in the world, but I sure do enjoy doing it. I love running outside, and the hotter it is, the better. Some of my memories from recent years of feeling relaxed and at peace are times when I was running outside in the summertime in the evenings after work. I’ve already replaced my stressful nights of fighting rush hour to get to class with running outside, and I am loving it. I spent the past few months with that oh-so-pleasant knot in my stomach and pressure in my chest that ongoing stress seems to give a person. I’ve been running until I am so tired and worn out. Get home, go for a long run, stretch, shower, read a book (FOR FUN!!!!!!!), and fall asleep easily for the first time in a long time. Heaven.
enjoy the pool.
The building I now live in has a lovely pool with a nice view of the river. I have zero desire to ever get a tan, but I nonetheless love to hang out poolside, talk with friends, read books, people watch, and otherwise enjoy the summer sun. I think I may have to invest in a big hat. One building rule is that you can’t go in the building common areas in just a bathing suit. Not that I planned to do that – I would’ve worn shorts or pants and a shirt anyway – but I am using that rule as an excuse to find a cute coverup. I am currently overwhelmed by the choices.
paint the living/dining room a modern and pretty shade of grey.
Our apartment’s kitchen is a white that suits it just fine. I like the neutral tan in the bathroom, and the taupe in the bedroom. However, the living/dining/foyer/hall area is this very blah beige and baby blue combination that I absolutely hate. Nothing goes with it. To make matters worse, it’s a flat paint that shows all the flaws. In general, we moved in in January and I promptly started back to school for the semester from hell, so the entire main area of our apartment is sort of halfway done. We’ve had a couple boxes and unhung pictures and various paint supplies piled in the living room since January, and we still need a number of things, like rugs, pillows, hardware for the cabinets, etc…i.e. a lot has to be done for it to feel remotely finished, and it’s driving me crazy! It also turns out that picking a grey is really difficult. I think we’ve at least got it narrowed down to 5 or so shades that we’re going to test on the wall soon. I cannot wait until it all feels put together!!
buy fresh flowers.
Seems simple enough. I do enjoy fresh cut flowers, but when i am in school and not home for 13 hours at a time during the week, it just seems pointless to spend money on a bouquet of flowers I won’t be home to enjoy. As such, every walk by the fresh flower section of any farmer’s market or grocery store during the school year incites my grouchy side. Maybe it sounds odd, but once I started school it was the little things like this – those little things of which you’re deprived because of your schedule, that you don’t realize you’re giving up until you had to, and that you didn’t realize you missed until they were gone. Fresh flowers may just be the tip of the iceberg on that front….so I am making the most of this little pleasure while I can!!
I think that’s the extent of my list. Of course, spending more time with friends, family, the boyfriend, etc. is on that list as well, but I think that’s a given!! Cincinnati isn’t a very big city but it still seems like there is no limit to the amount of events, festivals, parks, restaurants, bars, etc. that are to be enjoyed. Do you have any big plans for the summer?
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