While You Were Away...

Ask any college student their favorite time of year and you’ll probably hear the response, “summer.” It’s the only time when tanning is an acceptable priority and ‘successful’ days are spent lounging by the pool. There are no due dates to stress over, papers to write, classes to attend or alarms to set. Summer is a student’s paradise. My summer, however, wasn’t the carefree dream I’d imagined. My summer, like many other students, was filled with work.

After receiving a job with the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, I moved to Columbus to live with a close family friend, rent-free and only 20 minutes from the office. I slept on an inflatable mattress in the family room, my clothes hung from a small rack, my shoes tucked under a couch and my t-shirts folded tightly in a corner. I learned a lot about minimalism this summer. I learned about living on my own and driving in a big city. I learned about time management and prioritization.

Most importantly, I learned a lot of life lessons. From a flat tire and a towed car, to an inadequate living situation and a scary shooting incident, my summer was filled with “hashtag adulting.” Although it wasn’t the poolside fantasy I’d hoped for, it was the real-world experience I needed. This summer, while I was away, I grew up.