Cultural Spelunking

Another blog about why I love college. And about why I love New York. I’m like a freakin’ broken record over here.

It is always interesting, seeing how you react to transitions in life. There is always the way you expect yourself to react, and then the real way. I guess there is also the memory of it later too, but let’s stick to present tense.

The transition into summer has been relatively smooth (aside from the actual moving, which I am working on blocking out of memory) but like everything else in life it has had its ups and downs. Some ups have been getting enough sleep, actually going out in this lovely (today rainy) spring weather, getting to see my family, and getting my hands dirty on some researchy things.

An unforseen down has been how much I actually miss school. And what’s more, I know that my classes next semester probably won’t be as enjoyable as the ones from this semester. By chance and some planning, I managed to take classes last semester that made me think. A lot. Now that I am left to my own devices, interesting/crazy/ridiculous/hilarious/amazing nuggets of information don’t just fall from the sky Monday through Friday. My challenge and my joy this summer is to make sure that that continues to happen. Not just this summer, obviously, in life. But this summer for starters.

It is oh-so-easy to get caught up doing nothing. I want to get caught up doing interesting nothings which keep fueling my desire to see and experience and learn in the world around me. And, for example, not sit in my bed for an entire day re-reading Twilight.

This is why, though I love me some San Diego, I am in New York for the summer. Because the city really brings it out in me in a way that spending the summer playing beerpong in my friends’ parents’ garages doesn’t seem to anymore. When I was home for winter break and told my boss I wasn’t going to lifeguard anymore he asked incredulously if I wouldn’t miss the ocean too much to stay away. I have realized that if I had stayed in San Diego I would have missed using my brain this way too much. But yes, I miss the hell out of my friends and my family and my beach.

So, I guess the point of this post is to stop and observe a very unique moment in my own personal life. And, of course, document it.