When I first found out I would be given the chance to write my own column I was ecstatic. I thought “cool, I get space in the campus newspaper to talk about myself and what I think about life.” But I find myself without words and without even the closest idea as to what I’m going to say in the next 770 words.
Back to the writing track, I will start by telling you about my summer, one I would be so happy to forget.
I left La Verne last spring thinking I would have something to look forward to when I got home. Living with my family again was great, as I enjoyed the small things that made life that much sweeter.
I did not have 15 other people sharing a bathroom with me, nor did I have to wear flip-flops to take a shower (which I still haven’t gotten used to). I also did not have to eat at Davenport.
I ended up working at a law office in East Los Angeles, which is not too far from where I live. I rode the bus every day-an adventure in itself. It was scary; as I did not know what went on in a law office, much less know the worker’s compensation process. At first, my workload was light: filing and answering phones. No sweat, right? As I learned more, though, I had to do more, which I did not mind in the end because I was getting paid.
Then, halfway through the summer, I took a U.S. History class at the local community college to fulfill one of my general education requirements here. This was the longest six weeks I have ever endured. The professor rambled on for two straight hours, making me wonder if she was really human. Just so you keep this in mind before you begin to think that I’m just whining, work left me completely drained and certainly not in the mood to sit and listen to the details that led to the beginning of World War II.
After working 40 hours each week, I was ready for some R&R on the weekends. I thought I would get the necessary play time I needed, just enough to keep me sane, but that never happened.
I spoke to no one, nor did I see anyone. All the plans to hang out I made never happened. I thought I was going to have a summer of fond memories and some really cute pictures to look at afterward.
I kept this hope up until the middle of summer, and it was then I realized I was not going to have a summer to remember. So, I spent the rest of the summer days working and spending time with my family, which did not turn out to be such a bad thing.
As bad as the majority of the summer was, the entire summer was not a complete waste. My sister had her baby shower, where I got to catch up with family and some longtime family friends, most of which I haven’t seen in at least a year. It felt good catching up and being seen as an adult rather than as a child. That was a real confidence booster. Unfortunately that weekend was the weekend that my sorority was having a retreat. I had to choose one or the other, and I chose family.
So here I am, back at ULV and I’m finding it hard to really get into the swing of things. It is hard to hear that everyone I know did something over summer break, while all I did was work, or as I like to put it: the summer of all work and no play. Some people went out of town on trips, rekindled friendships gone awry, or made current ones even stronger.
My solution is to take it one day at a time and take any fun that comes my way and enjoy it. Whatever gets me through the semester, right?
Gloria Diaz, a sophomore journalism major, is arts and entertainment editor of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at btls60s@aol.com.
