This past Sunday, I ate lunch on top of a mountain. We nibbled on a delectable smorgasbord of cheese and crackers, burgers and Oreos. As we sat around the snow-dusted table, surrounded on all sides by beautiful mountains, we were utterly content.
Clearly, we were not in Evanston. We were in Vail, Colo., visiting friends who decided to take the quarter off and move to the mountains. When these boys aren’t hitting the slopes, they’re bussing tables or parking cars for rich people in fur coats. They are shut off from the world of studying and couldn’t be happier.
When I first heard they were concocting this crazy plan, I resorted to the knee-jerk Northwestern response: Aren’t you going to miss out on credits and internship opportunities? How will you ever make it up?
It is these very fears that keep the majority of Wildcats from taking time off from college. We lock ourselves into a career track from the day we receive that acceptance letter. Afraid we might miss an opportunity, we strive to obtain the best internships, the highest grades and the most intense study habits. Don’t get me wrong. I value my pricey education. I appreciate the encouragement from my peers, parents and professors to excel. But I also think we could benefit from a break away from it all.
Think about it this way: At NU this quarter, someone has already spent the night in a study room. Someone has worked so long in Tech he didn’t notice the sun set and rise again. Someone is so overwhelmed with conflicting commitments that she forgot to take time to simply enjoy her college years.
Out in Vail, my buddies are living the good life. They’re working, yes, but mostly they’re playing. They are taking advantage of this tiny window of life in which we are not yet completely career-tracked. Best of all, they’re going to be just fine. They are going to make it just as far as that kid who keeps a toothbrush in his backpack, just in case studying goes too long. I’d argue my friends are going to make it further. As they put it, they are interning for life. We may be building resumes, but they’re building character.
They’re not the only ones living this lovely life. One night in Vail, we picked up a hitchhiker heading to the next town. He looked about our age and told us he was from Argentina, taking the summer off. In Argentina, apparently, “University” is free, so it is not uncommon for students to take six or seven years to complete it. He seemed shocked that leaving for a quarter was a rarity amongst our peers.
We could all take a page from book of these ski bums. Keep working hard. Score those high profile internships and enter a lucrative career. Just consider taking your time getting there.
As for me, I think I’ll move to Ireland. Any takers?
Medill junior Meredith Laitos can be reached at [email protected].
