All Play and No work?

Well, I have been in Providence for about a week now. Although the city is small, there is still a lot for me to learn about it, and I am having fun exploring the new terrain. Tomorrow I begin my graduate assistantship with Providence College; a position within the Office of Academic Affairs, something which I am very excited about. While part of me is sad that this is one of the first signs that summer is coming to a close, there is a part of me that is eager to get back out there. While many might take advantage of the idleness which comes with the summer, I have missed the structure of a day to day schedule. You see, this summer has been very different for me than summers past, as I have not worked nearly as much as I have in recent years. Since, I was 16 years-old, I have held some type of part time position. While I worked the less hours during the school year to focus on academics, I have typically worked quite a bit during the summer, usually about 30 hrs. or more in order to save money. As I said this summer was quite different. When I began student teaching in January, I left my position as a bank teller in order to concentrate on my final semester, a decision that in retrospect, I am quite thankful for considering the amount of work that was required (Anyone who has ever student taught can attest = ) ). Once the semester was finished in May, I took a position as a tutor for a local center for students with academic difficulties. I was eager to get back to work, and since I knew in advance that my summer was going to be very packed, I appreciated the flexibility that this new job seemed to offer. What appeared to be an excellent opportunity, quickly turned into a regular annoyance, as I was not given the amount of hours that I had been promised and when I was scheduled to work, I was often sent home without being paid. The climax of my already growing frustration came when I returned from a vacation to find out that I was not on the schedule, after telling two supervisors personally, and writing on the employee calendar when I would be returning. Although I was annoyed, I took my losses and turned it into something positive. Even though I did not work as much this summer, I was able to support myself through savings. More importantly, I have used my excess freedom to spend time with friends and family before moving. Notable outings included, a trip to Montauk, New York City, high tea, and many beach days and lunch outings. I was able to attend the wedding of a good friend, as well as a wonderful trip to Europe, where I had the good fortune of experiencing several other parts of the world. Most importantly, I used the extra time for myself to experience the simple pleasures in life, such as an early morning run, an afternoon lost in the words of a favorite author, or an evening walk for a small vanilla ice from Ralph's with a good friend. To sum it up, while the workaholic nerd in me is eager to get back in there, I also understand that this summer taught me to appreciate what I have, focusing less on a schedule, and more on simple pleasures. I hope you all can do the same.