Summer sads - MIA

My first few (okay six) summers of teaching, I always went through a lull I lovingly referred to as The Summer Sads. What, you ask, are The Summer Sads? I'll tell you. 


Something happens to me the first week of August. I go into total teaching mode. My brain, which has taken a hiatus most of the summer, goes in to super hyperactive overdrive insanity. I start thinking of new lesson plans, supplementary materials, seating arrangements, and how to calm and educate energetic teenagers. This pace is fervent, and continues for approximately ten straight months. Even in down time, there are papers to be graded, plans to be created, and general school stuff to catch up on. 


Then summer comes. Suddenly, the pace stops dead in its tracks. The proverbial weight is lifted from my shoulders. I don't have hours upon hours of grading. I don't have to worry about if my lesson today connects to my lesson tomorrow. Heck, let's be honest, I don't have to worry about coming up with something off the cuff since the lesson I was on didn't last as long as I thought it would. It's just... quiet. 


Enter The Summer Sads. The Summer Sads typically happen when the first few weeks of summer glow have worn off and I try to figure out what to do with life. I know it sounds melodramatic, but sometimes I really do question who I am when I'm not a teacher. Teaching is such a large part of my identity. And then it goes missing and sometimes I feel like a part of me goes missing with it. 


This summer, however, I can safely say The Summer Sads have escaped me. Not only have I not had even a hint of Summer Sads, I've still yet to question if I'm even on summer vacation. I've been spending a lot of time at school to finish up a newspaper for the Door Village Festival in early fall. I've been filling my days with running around doing all of the things I don't have time to do during the school year (you know, oil change, dentist, and the occasional outing with friends). It's a double edged sword, I suppose. I don't sense The Summer Sads, but it might be because it's been too busy to even see them. 


Anyway, lots of summer left. But I have a feeling even though the pace is slowing, the Sads won't be coming behind it.