What I Did This Summer

You’re on campus for all of 5 minutes, and already you’ve been asked the requisite question 4 times. "How was your summer?” Great. Good. Fan-tastic. You worked with orphans in Brazil? How fulfilling for you. You taught English in China? You and everybody else. You discovered a new protein? Who does that?

You see, I didn’t do anything of note over the summer. After months of internship applications and some truly horrifying interview experiences, I ended up with zilch. And so home I went for the summer where I read, watched movies, tried (and failed) to get a job, and then vegetated. Despite this, while at home, I was filled with that wonderful sense of validation that only comes from unconditional love. My parents told me, “You’re so funny” (true), “Your cooking is spectacular!” (false), “You’re the smartest kid at that school!” (absolute rubbish), but all with earnest smiles on their faces. That’s what parents are for, to build you up, to make you feel good about yourself.

And then there’s Princeton. Where most of us feel inadequate 24/7 because of people like my roommate Jill, who appears to be majoring in sleep deprivation, or my friend who discovered the protein. When I start to feel average, I remember the nearly 4 months I spent at home basking in adulation and self-worth. And then I realize that I did actually have a pretty great summer.

--Yaa Kumah '12