There comes a time every summer, usually around the beginning of August when I sit down and think to myself, “Ya know, I’m actually excited to start school; to start taking classes and to push myself to learn more.” And usually, this attitude lasts through the first two weeks of school. This year I kept this attitude longer than usual: two and a half weeks!
Eventually there comes a point when every student, myself included, decides that classes have gone on for too long and that it is time for a break. Don’t get me wrong, I really do like my classes and I am learning a lot - I would just like to sleep.
At last my long wanted break from classes came in the form of Fall Break. I took advantage of this time to also take a little break from the city. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here - the lights, the people, the constant ebb and flow of life - but sometimes, every once in a while, a little break is nice. On the first day of my break I went to visit a family friend in a small town in Connecticut. I woke up earlier than I usually would on a day when I don’t have classes, took the 4 train to Grand Central and got myself a train ticket to Connecticut. It was at Grand Central that I became truly thankful for New York’s endless abundance of Starbucks. Having overslept that morning I felt a little rushed and frazzled; the clear solution was to head to Starbucks and grab a nice hot latte. As always, New York did not fail me. There was a Starbucks just waiting for me as soon as I stepped into Grand Central Station. I grabbed my latte and found a nice seat on the train. The advantage to taking a one hour train ride to Connecticut was finally being able to sit down and start reading J.K. Rowling’s “The Casual Vacancy” (it’s actually quite good so far, just not for the children).
When I finally arrived at my destination I was greeted with fresh air and an abundance of neutral-colored cars. I was almost surprised by the sudden lack of yellow automobiles weaving through traffic and cutting uncomfortably close to pedestrians. After that initial shock of being able to see over all of the buildings around me I took a moment to take in the gorgeous scenery that Connecticut has to offer. The colors of Autumn only come once a year and they are gorgeous. Here’s a little sample of what I saw.
After a nice, relaxing day in a small town in Connecticut I headed back to the hustle and bustle that I have come to love. The rest of the break was spent catching up on my sleep, watching Harry Potter, and spending time with my friends that stayed behind for the break. Towards the end of my break I was fortunate to have been able to spend time with my friend Sydney from Denver and her mom and sister.
Like every other student I enjoyed having time off school and time to myself. And now comes the second half of my first semester in college. Here goes.
