Every semester, at finals, there is a song that I will listen to over and over and over again, and it gets me through. Last Spring, is was Aerosmith's Walk this Way. Last Fall it it was Damien Rice's Cheers Darlin'. For my purposes this semester, it has been Al Green's Love & Happiness, which I kept on a loop for the entire afternoon until I had to take my final at 3:30.
I know in the spirit of go-out-there-and-getem I should be listening to things that are more "eye of the tiger", but end of semester, the last thing I need is to get more wound up. Al Green just keeps me from hyperventilating. With all the coffee I've had lately it's totally possible.
And now I want to scream “Viva la summer!” and kick off my shoes and run through the grass barefoot and go to the pool and sleep through the hottest part of the afternoon.
Then I remember I'm not 12 anymore, and tomorrow is just like any other Tuesday. I'm going to get up, and I'm going to go to work. When I come home, I'm going to make myself dinner, and maybe watch a movie, but nothing else too crazy, because I have work Wednesday morning. I will spend a significant part of this week cleaning the apartment that has gotten to be a wreck since everyone has been studying and freaking out about end of semester and insanely busy.
Basically, I will just continue doing what I'm doing, because adults don't get summer off.
This is not to undermine the freedom I have from academia in the coming months (there's nothing like it. Work stress pales in comparison to school stress, always). Really, this shouldn't even be a issue, because this time last year I was already working. But then I realize this time last year I was facing a summer of crashing at my parents house, driving dad's car, eating their food and having no bills except my mobile phone and keeping gas in the car.
Goodness how times have changed.
While I wouldn't trade living in Athens for anything, I sure would like to win the lottery right now.
You are reading the life, times, and general musings of Jenna Tollerson. I am an independent web developer living in and around Athens, Georgia, USA. [read more]