It’s nice to get up on a Monday morning and realize there’s no school. Even nicer to realize there won’t be any for the next three months.

Despite the very promising recovery in my sleep deficit, this summer has already proved to be a productive one. I’ve had the chance to get a lot of little things done that I would’ve never bothered to tackle during the school year. Although there’ll be a lot more to chip away at in the coming months, these past few days have been a blissful mix of relaxation and productive output. I guess my corrected sleep schedule gets most of the blame for my productivity; waking up before noon and going to bed before midnight somehow adds more hours to a day. Needless to say, I’m no longer nocturnal.

What I’ve been doing #1: Graduation parties

“Party” is just a euphemism for “goodbye.” For many of the parties I’ve attended, it was the last time I’d ever see the congratulationees.  The free food is always a plus but even nourishment doesn’t make up for the sentimentality. I might be somewhat of a weirdo for thinking this, but one of the things I look forward to most at graduation parties is the senior’s actual house. As I grab a sandwich or an egg roll from their kitchen counter or dining room table, I think to myself, “Whoa, this must’ve been where they ate breakfast every morning before school,” or when I see a desk, I think, “Whoa, this must’ve been where they did their homework every night.” Now that I think about it, I tend to put myself in the graduate’s shoes.

Ugh. I’m definitely a weirdo.

What I’ve been doing #2: researching

Now that my post-fair laziness has worn off, it’s been back to the lab back to the lab back to the lab. I enjoy my work and the ones I work with. Another bonus: campus is spectacular this time of year—the only time of year that it isn’t buried under a foot or more of snow. It’s a little haven tucked within the metropolit; the lawns are a uniform green while the Washington Ave. bridge overlooks the Mississippi and a summer breeze wipes from the mind of any passing student the fleeting notion of what may have once been winter.

What I’ve been doing #3: teaching kids how to swim

Three little speckled frogs, sitting on a speckled log, eating the most delicious bugs. Yum! Yum! One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool. Now there are two specked frogs. Ribbit! Ribbit! Two little speckled frogs, sitting on a speckled log, eating the most delicious bugs. Yum! Yum! One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool. Now there’s one specked frog. One little speckled frog, sitting on a speckled log, eating the most delicious bugs. Yum! Yum! It jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool. Now there are no specked frogs. Ribbit! Ribbit!

I sing that. With unfaltering gusto.

What I’ve been doing #4: experiencing a guitarist’s renaissance

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sit down with my guitars, my ladies. I’ve been rememorizing my past recital pieces…as muscle memory and playing by ear only go so far. I’m so out of practice that my fingertips hurt after only a couple hours of practice (Yeah, that sounds bigoted, but I used to be able to spend a good afternoon-and-evening with my guitar across my lap without complaints from my digits; and yeah, that sounds even more bigoted.). In any case, I’ve been experiencing somewhat of a rejuvenation in my appreciation for classical guitar. It’s really a shame that I’m having to work back up to my prime. A classical guitar is undoubtedly my favorite instrument to both listen to and play. Hopefully, I’ll be cracking down on some new pieces soon.

What I’ve been doing #5: miscellaneous work

Miscellaneous work of the miscellaneous variety, including, but not limited to: writing, filling out, emailing, recommending, asking, thanking, accepting, calling, learning, practicing, reading, answering, drafting, understanding, appreciating, organizing, collecting, considering, reconsidering, accomplishing, finishing, fulfilling, managing, producing, accomplishing, perfecting, polishing, obtaining, solving, preparing, creating, elaborating, extending, refining, emulating, demanding, extending, and overloading (on gerunds).

See also: Summertime manifesto