Scientifically, the Summer Solstice occurs when the Earth’s and the moon’s axial tilt is most inclined toward the sun. The Summer Solstice also has the longest day and the shortest night of the year. In laymen’s terms, however, it denotes the first day of summer. In other parts of the country, it may just be starting to get hot. In Charleston, however, it has felt like summer for over a month now. So what’s there to celebrate? For some this day could mean more heat, for others, this could mean a longer day of sunshine and more time to spend outside.
The Summer Solstice should be a cause for celebration simply because the changing of a season can bring new opportunities. Although it is technically the first day of summer, we as grad students are already over a month into “our” summer vacation. This is a great opportunity for us to examine what we have done or accomplished over the break thus far. Have we made it to the beach, read any of the books on our list, saved any money, worked on a thesis project, taken a much needed vacation, visited friends or family, exercised, tried new recipes, or simply relaxed? This is an excellent time to review any to-do lists or to create one if you haven’t. We still have two months of summer vacation, and we all should make sure that we make the most of it. As we all know, grad school is tough, and we need to be as well rested and motivated as possible when that first day of school arrives.
So take today as a celebration of not only summer and a long day of sunshine, but also as an opportunity to reassess how your summer is going so far!
