If you’re like me, then all summer you’ve been beaching, shopping, traveling, and basically doing everything except thinking about the approaching school semester. However, even after syllabus week and being told about due dates—we’re all still in denial that this semester is actually for real. But as us Mason students bind together, there a few things that we’ve all experienced that brings our summer daze to a screeching halt and snaps us back to reality.
1. Mason Parking: is the epitome of a back-to-school nightmare. We spend two glorious months of summer vacation trying to forget the horror, only to come back to The Hunger Games in Lot K. And when you have 15 minutes before class starts, you should never be ashamed to roll down your window and yell to the least threatening person—“Can I give you a ride to your car so I can park in your spot?!” I mean, desperate times call for desperate measures. But just don’t get into the habit of giving and taking rides from strangers; but in the case of Mason Parking, I think Mom and Dad would understand.
2. Unbearable Heat: I’ve never perspired more in my life than I was sweating on my way to my 12:00 class this morning. As far as I’m concerned I have two choices: continue this death march towards Innovation Hall or double back to Rappahannock and head to the nearest beach! Backpacking 15 minutes across campus in 90 Degree weather and showing up to class with a sweat mustache is so not cute. Can we fast forward to Fall or rewind to June?! Naturally I’ll cut through the JC to get a refreshing breeze of air-conditioning…only for there to be construction with no AC. Is this real life?!?
3.Which brings me to my last and final indication that summer is over and you are in fact back at Mason…The Construction. Nothing says ‘Welcome Back’ quite like the sound of power-drills, excavators and jack-hammers. I was gone two months and apparently so were the construction workers because they’re picking up exactly where they left off in May. Okay, that’s an exaggeration—they did finish the library which looks pretty awesome. Nonetheless, once one construction project is complete, out pops three more pending projects. Good thing I’m graduating next semester, so I won’t get to enjoy any of the new facilities. Instead I’ll just be experiencing the scaffolding poles and trying to dodge them as I text and walk through campus.
While you and I are both equally sad summer is over, we can’t help but be excited to be back with our fellow colleagues! A new semester means a chance to make new friends, try new things and start with a clean slate! Let’s snap out of our summer mode and make this the best semester yet. Go Patriots!!