RTW -- Summer After Graduation

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.


This Week's Topic: 
How did you spend the summer after graduation?

My first act after my last day of school was to break up with my boyfriend. It was the first in a very long line of changes to my life. At the time, it felt like my heart would never be the same but now I wish I'd done it sooner. 

I had a pretty boring summer after graduation. Living in the country and not having a car isn't exactly conducive to an exciting summer break. I spent most of it freaking out about college, looking up job opportunities in my future collegetown, scheming with my best friend and now-future roommate. I was both excited and terrified of the idea of leaving home for nine months and living on my own. Orientation was in May and it was incredible. I met so many amazing people and for the first time, I really felt that I could do this.

I passed the time working on a now-trunked WIP and revising Where There's Smoke. I tried to take advantage of my free time by reading as much as I could. I also spent a lot of time obsessing over Doctor Who (series six was on summer break at the time) and watching Burn Notice. At some point, I also picked up an interest in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, though sadly I never made it past season two.

Going nine hours away to college also means that a lot of people want to spend time with you. I hung out with my niece more that summer than I ever did before. There was also a week-long camping trip with my youth group that involved a sudden thunderstorm on our first night, an ice-cold river, and practice throwing knives.

Looking back, it was an extremely stressful summer and I wish I'd taken more time to enjoy it now.

Comments

Colin Smith said…
It was either the first or the second summer break from university, I came home and noticed my younger brother had been building his collection of Doctor Who video tapes. That was the first time I watched The Second Doctor's last story, "The War Games." A classic. Summer breaks are a good time for catching up on Doctor Who. :)

The university I went to was 200 miles away from my home town, which in the UK is a long, long way from home. So, my summer was also spent hanging out with friends and family, making the most of the time before I went away.

It might have been a stressful summer for you, Rachael, but it sounds like you have some good memories of it. :)
Stephsco said…
I wish I'd had your courage to break up with the high school boyfriend! Isn't it true we hang on too long the first time around (well, for me it was my first serious boyfriend).

That transition between high school and the first year of college is a strange one; spending time with friends is about the best option.
Jaime Morrow said…
I broke up with a high school boyfriend the summer after grad too...only I did it from Scotland. Such a jerky thing to do in retrospect. Your summer sounds like there were still good memories made even while feeling stressed out. :)
Anonymous said…
One of the rubbish things about summer is that all the programmes I love have ended by then. There's just this wait until Autumn when they'll be back.

At least there's the summer blockbusters at the cinema. :) There are always tons I want to see.
Does sound like a lot was going on but that camping trip definitely sounds like a lot of fun! I had a crazy summer too so I know what you mean with having more time to enjoy but it seems you still got time to do some me-time stuff like writing :)
Crystal said…
I probably SHOULD have broken up with my boyfriend after graduating, but it lasted about two years too long after that, lol.

And I can't believe that you haven't gotten past season 2 of Buffy. You should really watch the rest. It's so worth it.
Sara Biren said…
LOVE the first line about you dumping your boyfriend. :)

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