Summer is right around the corner, which brings sheer delight to students because school will have come to an end and assignments will have been left on the back burner to fade away along with frustration, stress and, my favourite companion, procrastination. With summer comes the prospect of the new year―minus the cold, frostbite ridden environment―and bucket lists replacing the yet-to-be-accomplished resolutions. Summer is a magical time that promises relief, a moment of silent bliss and on many occasions, endless fun; however, summer is accompanied by a few things that I am positive affect the majority of the student population: an inevitable decrease in intellectual ability, the inability to recall what day it is and forgetting how to be a student. I shall discuss further these three commonalities in the words to come.
First and foremost, I commend any person with the capacity to recall anything during the summer months that they learned at school, for I have never been able to recall a topic that I had discussed in my philosophy class, or to inform my friends and family about a current event that we had broken down and explored in one of my gender studies lectures. I also cannot string together a sentence in Spanish―after having taken it for a couple of semesters―late in July. Is it just me, or does an invisible and unspoken epidemic exist within the students of post-secondary education? This epidemic of brain farts and “whoops, I forgot”s is truly problematic. I legitimately worry I will never be able to uphold an “adult” job that requires a degree in a certain field because I can’t remember anything. Alas, I’m not going to pretend to know the solution; I am simply ranting about the fact that my intellectual abilities gravely decrease post exam season. I hope I don’t stand alone.
Despite the fact that I work full-time during the months of undiluted joy, the simple task of bringing to mind the day is quite arduous. And don’t even get me started on the month―it may be well into August and I’d still assume my birthday (which is in July) is weeks away. Additionally, 5 p.m. feels like 2 p.m., and whence I finally come around to dinner, I am brushing my teeth in preparation for bed. In this scenario, I am more than positive that I am riding the infamous bandwagon that is summer syndrome―that being the infestation that I have been and am currently discussing. Moreover, with this forgetfulness comes the depressive state of waking up from a 3-hour nap only to find out September is tomorrow and I should be packing to move back to Kingston. Alas, why is it that the simplicity of telling time―learnt early on in childhood―fades and falters with the change in season? My terrifying thought process believes it is due to our conditioning. We are coerced into keeping track of the date during the school year because of the profuse amount of work stacked on our plates. We worry constantly, checking our calendars religiously and scarcely ever pretermitting time and place, and month and day. Conclusively, we are not to blame!
Last but not quite least, I shall discuss the lack of “studenting” that paves way to existence with the blow of sun-kissed summer breeze. In correlation with the forgetfulness mentioned above, one may―as I do―neglect to student. To clarify, as students we are required to take notes, attend lectures, formulate arguments that don’t resonate with our beliefs and write papers in a manic haze. Albeit tiresome, it is truly beneficial, for amidst the hustle and bustle of 8 a.m. lectures and 6 p.m. papers, an idealistic work ethic is instilled within―drilled into our brains. Then come the arms of relaxation that wrap around in a comforting and exuberating embrace, one that literally reposes thought from brain which in turn allows for a fall in studenting ability. I mean, we forget how to write, or to compose a grammatically correct sentence that isn’t infiltrated with “umm,” “like” and countless unnecessary “because”s. We forget how to study for an exam or prepare a presentation. We forget what it is to be a student laden with responsibility. Again, I firmly believe that is because of the wiring in our brains and nothing to do with our sincere abilities.
In blunt conclusion, the summer time―albeit a breath of relief, the light at the end of the tunnel, the cherry on top―is also a time of downfall. It is extremely paradoxical, for it allows for the unwinding and recharging that is needed to commence a new year, but is also a catalyst in the areas mentioned above. Regardless, I cannot wait for the summer time and will happily welcome the outcomes, and then will helplessly try to relearn all that was forgotten in the span of a week prior to classes!