Guest Post: Summer Nothin'

A guest post by: Sophie Bailowitz

“You mean you’re not doing…anything? ...all summer?” This news has left a lot of people incredulous, so I’ll spell it out clearly: No, I’m not doing anything. All summer.

Except that I am. True, I’m not getting paid to stock shelves or scoop ice cream or sit in a lifeguard chair supervising pool-goers. I’m not traveling to exotic tropical beaches or exploring quaint European cities, and I’m not leading herds of giggling campers from arts and crafts to soccer.

I don’t mean to imply that there’s anything wrong with a summer of tourism, lifeguarding or working as a counselor. All of these options are perfectly valid ways to spend 3 months.

There’s no doubt that I’d enjoy afternoons lounging by the waves on a picturesque island or the extra cash that my working friends will have tucked into their wallets at the start of school. It’s just that, if there’s anytime for me to take a stretch of 12 weeks and declare it a leisurely, honest-to-good break spent at home, it’s now. As long as I can remember, summer has been about the little things— flip flop tans, chocolate snowballs topped with marshmallow at Tropicool, watching the Orioles play in the blazing heat. It’s been a time for spontaneous amusement park trips with friends and unhurried backyard barbeques with family, a time when my biggest concern is finding the best sunscreen for my skin—skin that’s guaranteed to burn no matter how many times I reapply anyway.

But, before I know it, this happy-go-lucky mentality will be punctured with pressures like finding that perfect internship or research project to be the cherry on top of a meticulous resume. That’s great too, in its own way; I’m looking forward to finding the internship that inspires me or the quintessential college student summer job as much as the next person. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t want to take advantage of the last time that I can unapologetically sleep until 11:30 or spend the whole day binge watching Criminal Minds, no questions asked.

What’s more (and more important to me), is that these are the last 12 weeks I’ll definitively be able to call the 410 area code home. Sure, Pikesville will always be home on some level. It holds too many memories and pieces of me for me not to identity with it in that way. But the future is murky—it’s unclear whether I’ll ever return to the state of Maryland for more than just a visit after college ends, let alone the very suburb where I learned to walk, and drive, and everything in between. There are countless things to do before my address changes to somewhere in Madison, Wisconsin—friends to reminisce with, favorite restaurants to visit, baseball games to watch, snowballs to eat. 12 weeks with no specific plans may seem like a long time, but the truth is, it’s not nearly enough.

Not Just Another Summer

For the youth of the world (along with a lucky minority of adults), summer vacation is 3 months of down time to recharge, explore, and meet new people.  The beauty of summer is that you can forget about everything else in your life, and focus on what is happening right then and there.  Whether you spend it in Paris, Manhattan, or Wayne, is less important than the inevitable change of pace that summer brings to the monotonous life of a full-time student.

Thus far in my life, summer has been the time when nothing mattered, when there was no care in the world.  One summer I drove around Maryland playing baseball.  Another one, I sat in a tiny shack and served snowballs.  The idea that one day I might not have summer vacation scheduled into my life was never something that crossed my mind.

What I failed to realize in the past is that summer is a time of opportunity.  A summer internship could turn into a job for the next 30 years.  A summer romance could turn into a lifelong commitment.  More importantly, however, than these tangible opportunities is the freedom attached to this block of time.

As I sit here packing my last few things away for the semester, I can't help but feeling nostalgic.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that's a pretty common occurrence for me, and it's not as if a semester in Spain is going to be a step down from summer vacation, but it truly is sobering knowing that I could very well be approaching my last summer as a student.  Often times, summer is when kids grow up, when they learn independence, when curiosity becomes ambition.  Yet summer is also the very thing that keeps us young and fresh, that reset button that puts us back on track every year.  I certainly learned more about myself these past two months than I could have possibly anticipated, but right now I'm feeling pretty old.

Summer To-Do List: Adult Edition

            For those of you who read Jake’s PG list of must-do summer activities, you might have been left feeling slightly unsatisfied. Don’t get me wrong, I wish I could stay a kid forever, catching butterflies and shit all day long. Time, however, is like a shark; it can’t stop moving or else it’ll drown or something. I’m a teenager, and I wanna do teenage stuff this summer. So here’s to my fellow teenagers: five activities that you can’t go wrong with.

      

      1.     Concerts.

I was sort of terrified of concerts for most of my life. I heard my older sisters describing them: massive mobs of people, in suffocating proximity, ebbing with the eardrum-shattering bassline of industrial speakers. It always sounded more like a trial of survival than a fun night. But man, was I wrong. After my first one, I was addicted. It’s a purely invigorating experience. I guess it’s slightly dependent on what kind of concert you go to, but I think no matter what the genre of music, it’s still a great way to spend a few hours.

      2.     Artscape

If you’re from Baltimore and you’ve never been to Artscape, fuck you. Our city hosts the country’s biggest arts festival, and it’s free. The dates are July 20^th – 22^nd this summer, and it’s gonna be awesome. Walk around the streets of Charm City, check out some bizarre art vendors, buy a massive snocone in a plastic flower goblet, and listen to the free music. So call up some friends, and have your parents drop you off for a solid day of fun. They’re posting the concert lineup next month; be sure to check the website.

      3.     OC

The funny thing about being on the east coast is that everyone freaks the fuck out over beaches. Droves of pedestrians flock to the eastern shore in the summer months to do their best west coast impression, and this makes for an environment majorly conducive to teenage folly. There’s a reason Ocean City is such a prime destination for senior week. The cool part about it is that it’s a relatively short drive for most of us—as in, daytrip material. You can leave in the morning, chill at the beach while the sun is still out, and then gallivant on the boardwalk for hours at night.

      4.     Visit Your Local Dealership

This one is definitely not for everyone, but can be tremendously enjoyable if you’ve got the dedication. Pick out a classy outfit from your closet, and invent your rich playboy/girl persona. Then head over to your local luxury car dealership and pretend that you’re interested in purchasing a new vehicle. Test drive to your heart’s desire.

*Age requirements vary among dealers

      5.     Fine Dining

Nothing quite says ‘adulthood’ like making reservations at an elegant dining establishment. It may cost you a week’s paycheck, but hey, that lobster tastes so much better when you’ve earned it. Ask to borrow your dad's Zagat guide to make your restaurant selection easier. Guys, depending on how OK you are with a solo dinner, you might want to bring a date. And ladies, maybe you can score a free meal.

Summer To-Do List

            As scary as it is, my classes end for good this Thursday.  Next Monday I start my Senior Project, and in 6 weeks I’ll be done with high school forever.  Before I go off to Atlanta in the fall, there are few things that I definitely want to do this summer.  For the first time in years, I’m going to be home for the duration of vacation.  Besides the obligatory summer job, there are five things that I want to accomplish between June and September, all of them in or around Baltimore (everything’s within a 90 minute drive):

1.  Go to an Orioles Game

            A week and a half into the season, and the Orioles are still tied for first place. I actually went to the game last week on my birthday when the O’s lost in ten innings despite having the bases loaded for Adam Jones in the bottom of the ninth. My hopes are still high for the O’s, but even if they fall into their usual cycle of loss after loss, going to the game is still a must for anyone who lives in Baltimore.  We’re lucky to have one of the nicest stadiums in baseball today, and even when they lose, it’s always nice to spend an evening eating a hot dog, sipping a coke, and watching the birds play.  If we’re lucky, they might even string some wins together.

2.  Bengie’s Drive-In

            There’s nothing quite like a drive-in movie.  As far as I know, the only one in the Baltimore area, Bengie’s offers a great deal on weekend evenings.  Where else can you pay $8 and see 3 movies?  The Friday and Saturday night triple-feature is by far the best bang for your buck in the movie business, especially these days when it costs 10 or 11 dollars to see a film in the local AMC.  Take a night and drive down to Bengie’s; buy your popcorn and a large Dr. Pepper, pump up the radio volume, and enjoy the latest summer blockbuster.  A relic of years past, Bengie’s is a unique experience that everyone should take part in.

3.  Hershey Park

            I can’t think of a better way to spend a hot summer day than at Hershey Park, or any amusement park for that matter.  Just an hour and a half up 83 North, Hershey Park offers a wide array of roller coasters and water park attractions.  Along with Great Bear, Storm Runner, and Fahrenheit, a new attraction is opening this summer: Skyrush, which will feature a 200 ft drop.  But even for non-roller coaster fans, Hershey Park has ample entertainment for everyone.  From the classic carnival games to Hershey’s Chocolate World, it is sure to be a sweet day.

4.  Camping

            Since my sleepaway camp days, I haven’t taken the initiative to go camping.  Yet, something about roasting marshmallows and sleeping in a tent is still incredibly appealing to me.  This summer, I’d definitely like to take a weekend and go camping with a few of my friends.  It’s easy; all you need is a tent, a few sleeping bags, and somewhere to sleep.  A backyard would be adequate; but for more adventurous types, there are plenty of places to go camping in Maryland.  Here’s a website with a guide to camping locally http://mdcamping.com/.  Go buy some marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey’s bars; you’ll be on your way.

5.  Golf

            In what other sport can you drive around in a little cart, stopping occasionally to hit a little white ball across a field to a hole?  Golf is the ultimate brosey sport.  Grab your dad’s old set, sign up for some tee time, and go have a ball.  For casual players, it’s a nice escape, and a great way to work on your tan.  If you’re looking to get good, go to the range, work on your game.  Anyone who practices enough can get good at golf.  Regardless, a quiet day on the golf course is a great way to relax, be social, and maybe even get some exercise, especially if you bypass the cart and walk instead.

            Summer’s a great time to try new things.  So instead of sitting around and playing video games all summer (of course a healthy dose of videogames is perfectly acceptable), get out there; try something new.  I’ve lived in Baltimore for 18 years, but there are so many things that I still haven’t done.  Take advantage of the time you have here, because it won’t last forever.