Summer Plans and Open Mics

As this spring semester comes to a close, many of us are preparing to begin our summer plans. For some, this means hanging around Holland, starting an internship, or perhaps even studying abroad. But for others, the summer may not look so hopeful. If you are anything like me, planning for the summer can seem like a daunting task. It can be difficult to meet the early application deadlines, find housing arrangements, or even to find the right job in the first place. So if you are looking ahead at a summer with no real plans, don’t get discouraged!

While I am not trying to discount the importance of something like securing an internship, I do want to use this blog post to remind you that a seemingly empty summer is not the end of the world. Give yourself grace.  Remember that life does not only consist of ups, and that the downs are necessary for growth. Seize the day, but try not to put an unreasonable amount of pressure on yourself. Also remember that the worst thing you can do is nothing at all – if you are worried that it’s too late to begin planning, try anyways. However, if you do wind up back home for the summer, do not look at this as a failure. Take this opportunity to plan for the next summer, decide now what you want to do and get a head start.  Build on your portfolio; write a book or teach yourself a new skill.  Bottom line: stay active and hopeful – things will only become a failure if you let them.

 Thanks for reading, and remember that the Opus Open Mic Night is THIS TUESDAY at 7:00pm in the Depree Art Gallery. And it’s not too late to sign up! Send us an email at opus@hope.edu if you would like to read and share your art with us!

Hang in there, only 3 weeks left!

 

Grace Hulderman

Poetry Editor