Those Intergenerational Sweet Summer Days

A spring sun gazes upon the CAPA pillars, kissing its inhabitants with golden lips that spread smiles and shouts. While the fence may contain us now, a different sun will trap us in a tight hug in about twenty days. The summer sun will finally come out, the shackles of APs and Keystones removed, and the forgotten uncomfortable humidity will serve as a trap in of itself. Summer break is a sweet subject of nostalgia for most, as the fully free days serve as settings for hundreds of possibilities. The introduction of a summer break was pulled into school calendars in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and although none of our teachers are that old, they have memories of summer breaks just as their students do.

Ms. Shin, an English and Journalism teacher, spent her childhood summer days between the pools and forests. She grew up in the Poconos, so nature was abundant. “Almost every single day, my neighbors and I, [...] we would bike to the pool and like, swim at the pool until we got pruney, [...] then we would go out into the woods, and my sister and I would just play unsupervised,”, she says, looking back with nostalgia. “Now, it seems a little bit like, questionable, because we would just be gone for hours at a time and my parents would just expect us to be home.”. Whenever she thinks about summer, she remembers the independence of simple exploration in the woods, the sun’s rest used as a dependable alarm. 

Mr. Diffenderfer, an English and Playwriting teacher, shares how his typical summers would be spent in between Boy Scouts summer camp trips, staying in cabins with other kids of his own age and learning essential skills. He adds “...my birthday was also in the summer, so we would typically do a vacation instead of having like a birthday party, [...] and then I would pretty much just relax, I would go on trips to my grandma’s [...], very middle of the road childhood summer vacation.”. He believes his summer vacation to be very typical, as many teenagers go to sleepaway camps and promote them as social experiences. Summer is the time to learn independence from your parents to prepare for the world. For some, this may mean gaining financial independence through a summer job. 

Usual summer jobs are in restaurants, amusement parks, and summer counseling. Mr. Lipschutz had a very interesting one, working as a tennis counselor. While I tried to badger him for any good summer memories, he kept his nonchalant attitude up, denying any comment on memories whatsoever. “I don’t know if they’re appropriate…”, he said. Mr. Lip, a mystery man, didn’t give any more than his title. That’s another amazing thing about summer. It’s a period for growth and exploration that is personal and vital to teenage development. You can keep the personal memories to yourself. 

To leave you off with something to think about: What are you doing for the summer? What are you discovering, and how will you grow? 

In 20 days and some change, we’ll see you living it up, creating new stories to tell, strengthening your friendships, and most importantly, getting some well-deserved self-care!