It's true. Summer is indeed over. It's OK, though, because without a grueling nine months between summer vacations, what would keep summer so delightfully refreshing during those three months of bliss? The following are a few memoirs the Scene staff has accumulated, fond memories of days past. If these aren't enough to keep you from getting too bitter this semester, at least remember that in no time, the humidity levels won't make going outside feel like you're taking a warm bath.
After my freshman year ended in a haze of disappointment, I returned home to Los Angeles with the proverbial tail between my legs, not telling anyone about how I completely messed up my first year in college. What they neglect to tell you in those "great stories of college" is the fact that if you go home, you will be away from everything you love.
Immediately after returning home I began avoiding the subject of my disappointing performance by immersing myself in the good old Los Angeles music scene. Going to see bands like Hella, The Robot Ate Me, Pedestrian Deposit, Indian Jewelry, Bad Dudes and Excepter helped ease some of those troubles. As a drummer, I marvel in the mere presence of Zach Hill. Another highlight of this musical summer was seeing Russian Circles open up for The Appleseed Cast, as I was completely unaware of how amazing Russian Circles actually is.
Towards the midpoint of my summer I began to get even more restless as I was rejected from every pathetic occupation imaginable (check out boy, McDonald's boy, guy in hamburger suit, etc.). Deciding to see my girlfriend for two weeks was probably the best decision I made this summer. With my own money made from doing various shameful things for my local city councilmen, I was able to get a last minute plane ticket into New York to go see my girlfriend. This really angered the parental units, since I didn't tell them I was leaving.
I spent two weeks in the New York/Nothern Jersey area lounging and snuggling with my girlfriend - that's right, I said snuggling, what of it? In response to the cutting of my luscious fro, she cut her long, flowing hair. There we were, two lame kids in love who cut their hair at the same time. Those two weeks of bliss and harmony were abruptly ended when I had to return back to Los Angeles and face the wrath of the real world.
The rest of the summer was spent going to beaches with friends, doing more odd jobs for city councilmen and finishing off the summer with great music. I know it might sound cheesy but after all is said and done, I was still eager to get back to D.C and see my girlfriend again. To me at least, all that matters are the people you love and the things you do to see them, even if those things are dirty and shameful.
- CHRIS MORENO
After school adjourned, I jumped right into the heavy narcotics trade and pushed coke on my street corner. Of course, I'm joking. In fact, I did something even better: worked for my university, our very own AU. I was hired as an orientation leader for incoming freshman and transfer students, which turned out to be about as great a job one could ask for, this side of being Zooey Deschanel's personal assistant.
After a refreshing period of three weeks lounging by my pool and playing basketball at home, I came back to D.C. with a newfound purpose: make every freshman I came into contact with glad they came to this fine university.
Of course, who knows if I accomplished that? Maybe I did, but I probably didn't. You only have one chance to make a first impression, so they say, and there's a great chance I probably messed up a few of my chances with certain freshman. But the important thing was that I went out on a limb and decided to lead, albeit small groups of students basically my age for only two days, instead of just playing Guitar Hero with my friends for the whole summer.
I'd like to say that I think I helped make a slight difference in the transition to college for some freshman. Even if I didn't, I know that working with the amazing OL staff and living away from home for half of my summer changed me, and there's nothing more everlasting that one can gain from a summer (save for skin cancer from not using enough sunscreen).
-DREW ROSENSWEIG
In an alarmingly out-of-character move, I opted to curb my laziness this summer and stay in D.C., taking classes and working at a fine hipster establishment. It was without a doubt a most humbling experience, scrounging up my own rent and panhandling for gas money on the side. Nevertheless, the positive impact of spending my summer like a grownup had several positive side effects, including a newfound sense of real community in a city that I have otherwise had a definite love-hate relationship with over the past three years (mostly hate).
A word for the wise: Summer classes are intentionally a little bit easier and a little bit more interesting. These wise professors know that it's going to take every trick in the book to keep a group of 13 students engaged when they know damn well they could be sunbathing or inner tubing or something equally summer-ish. My class on "hip-hop culture" was not only really, really interesting but also introduced me to several little spots around D.C. that aren't Adams Morgan where I could feel like there's more than just marble facades and overtly neglected homeless people. My film course had me in the library twice a week, soaking up a bunch of movies I'd always heard were good but fancied myself too much of a dilettante to watch.
As for the job, while I came home from work covered in a fine layer of espresso dust and the stench of snobbery, I'm quite thankful for what it gave me. Prior to six months ago, I had never held a job in any sort of service industry, all the while having my friends that toil away as servers and baristas tell me to get a clue and a "real job." But who knew a real job could be so much fun? The Tryst staff is close-knit, due to some ridiculous hours (we open at 6 a.m., close at 2 a.m.) and there's something that makes the whole thing feel like summer camp. What's more, it has helped me get to know life beyond the imaginary walls of AU and feel especially connected to this city. Once, I lamented this place and dreamed of a post-graduation escape. Now, at the dawn of my last year here, I'm looking forward to letting this love-hate relationship get a little bit lovelier.
- JEN TURNER
