Here we are at the end of the year getting ready for exams and our summer plans. I still have to get through exams. I’m thinking of it as the home stretch, the one big push to the finish line.
Of course you don’t think I’m going to let you getting away with acting like a hooligan just because the end is near, do you? Now is a time when we should all be more considerate towards our friends and neighbors.
Everyone is worn out, tired and ready for the summer. In other words, we might not be at our best. I am certainly not at my best when I’m stressed out and preparing for a test. But think of it this way: If you’re tired and worried the people around you are probably in the same boat.
Do you want to get snapped at or glared at for your crinkly chip bag or your whispered conversation that everyone can hear? Think of others, try to be quiet in order to let your student friends study and be patient with someone who’s not at their best.
Then you’ll start your job, pack up, and move or get on with whatever you have ahead of you. If you’re moving it’s only polite to make sure you’re not leaving your grime in your room or apartment for the newcomers to clean. So do a once-over of your place to get most of it.
I’ve packed up and moved many times, and the smoothest times are the ones when I’ve had time to do some spring-cleaning. However, I’ve also done the shove-everything-I-own-into-a-car-and-go move. In both cases, having a good attitude and realistic mindset make a big difference.
Soon you will likely be saying goodbye to friends. Keep in touch. I give my friendships high value and am saddened by the ones that have drifted apart, as some inevitably do for one reason or another. The lesson I’ve learned here is that it’s better late than never. Set up a video chat date with a friend you haven’t talked to in months (or years), text someone and ask him or her how the weather is where he or she lives today, or go for a coffee.
I have found that even getting this organized once or twice a summer with your further afield friends can really make a difference in the quality of your friendship when you get back together again. Trust me, it’s worth it.
That’s it folks. Good luck on your exams, your summer and your life. It has been a pleasure and a privilege writing to you.
