Columnist Meihuan Yu asks incoming first years to reconsider their summer ambitions.
Credit: Ana GlassmanMy band’s last performance was this past Friday. The red ink on my calendar, hastily scribbled over June 7, was a bright and angry reminder that the four years of off-beat rock covers with my best friends were coming to what felt like a premature end.
This sentiment of goodbyes is shared by all of the 2400 other incoming students in Penn’s Class of 2028. As graduations flit by and entire lives are packed into 12-by-16 inch boxes, we find ourselves facing the unavoidable truth: This is our last summer before college.
To many, this vast period of free time is prime territory for a 10-season rerun of The Bachelor or a daily 17-hour TikTok scroll. If you're anything like me — a chronic overthinker — there is always that little voice in the back of your mind reminding you to play the exhausting game of catch-up.
Quick! This is the last summer you have your home gym, it’s time to get absolutely shredded before college. But wait, didn’t your friend get that internship a few days ago? You don’t want to waste your last summer rotting at home, do you? It's time to get on that too. Accelerated by Penn’s hyper-competitive environment, this never-ending cycle of “do better” is how students end up burning out in last-minute internships, driven by the fear of falling behind in a pre-professional race before even stepping foot on campus.
This phenomenon is only exacerbated by the rise of anonymous social media platforms like Sidechat, where peers in similar situations voice their paranoia of losing out on a head start in their careers. Every thread, repost, and group chat echoes the same sentiment: forget friends, trips, and relaxation; last summers are for being productive. However, I want to offer a different perspective to the Class of 2028. I urge you to spend your last summer before college doing absolutely nothing.
I was walking in circles with my friend — a sophomore at Penn — trying to find our late-night grub when he told me about the difficulty of adulting, and how we take the responsibilities our parents shoulder for granted. From managing finances to the most menial day-to-day chores, many students will take on the challenge of independent living for the first time, which comes with a significant reduction in both relaxation and time spent at home. To put it simply, for most of us, it’s the last summer on the couch at home with no bills to pay. So why can’t it be just that? The rush to adulthood is a universal experience that encompasses adolescence. But as we finally entered the crowded WingStop, I realized that some things are worth slowing down for and cherishing.
As we eagerly lined up for Oreo-strawberry milkshakes and popcorn chicken, I gazed upon our queue of mismatched flip-flops and tank-top tans with nostalgia, suddenly realizing that our hometown, late-night snack runs would soon become a thing of the past. Like many, I viewed high school friendships as a casual but permanent constant that didn't require much attention. Each inside joke was laughed off as soon as it was shared. Each after-school trip to the corner store was conducted with the indifference that only teenagers can possess. Never counted, never recollected, never treasured. So I encourage you: spend this summer laughing over burgers and chatting in food truck lines instead of hunched over a desk. Your stomach and your friends will thank you.
So to all the incoming students deciding between Excel sheet hell or a well-deserved break this summer, I want you to keep in mind the memories you are giving up to fuel the anxiety-driven illusion of getting ahead. Society’s endless game of catch-up can end if you realize that you are not behind. Slowing down does not mean giving up, as sometimes you need to stop and smell the fried chicken wings to appreciate what you already have.
MEIHUAN YU is an incoming Wharton first year from Toronto. Her email is meihuany@wharton.upenn.edu.
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