Summer Nights, Driftin' Away

Cue John Travolta singing a very high, strung out "nights."

I realized something today (or technically, yesterday, seeing as I'm a night owl to an insane degree). It is/was (I'm going to refer to it in the present tense from now on to avoid confusion, and I don't consider a day "over" until I go to bed) my last day of summer vacation. Ever. At least, as I've known it for the past 21 years. Of course, there will be summer vacation trips, but instead of a multiple-month break, I'll be returning to a job after a few days spent enjoying a fantasy life. This is the last day of enjoying that for which every kid wishes, summer break.

It's so weird to think that this is my last summer break from school. Next May, instead of being so incredibly ecstatic (which doesn't actually even begin to cover the joy of a break from nursing school!) that I'll have a few months off, I'll be graduating and moving on to a job. A permanent staple. Never having to return to the days of homework and exams and grades.

Summer has always been my favorite season, full of fun and a general happiness and sense freedom in the air. This year, today not only symbolizes the end of a season, but a certain end to a chapter.

And to summarize using my familiar adage, in retrospect, it's a chapter that ended quite suddenly.