School's Out. Now What?
On summer break, lost routines, and learning not to fill every empty space
I have really been struggling with what to write this week. Actually, I think it’s more accurate to say that I’m struggling to write at all.
Why? I’m not entirely sure, but my best guess is the sudden transition from being “in school” to being “on summer break.” I’m not great at transitions in general, and the school → summer break → school shuffle is one of the hardest for me.
Friday, June 26th, was our last day. I got up like any other day, went to school, made it through all the periods (minus a lot of students), and turned in my end-of-year checklist. Technically, only the students have a half day, but our principal generally lets us leave once they’re gone and everyone’s checklist is turned in.
After school, I went on an adventure to find a graduation gift for one of my students who had a really crappy year, then headed to the stadium for the 3 PM graduation ceremony. And then, after graduation, without any fanfare or ceremony, I walked back to my car and drove home.
Just like any other day of work.
Now what?
If you’re not familiar with Finding Nemo, go watch it. It’s awesome. At the very end, the tank fish finally escape and find themselves floating in the ocean. They accomplished the thing they’d been working toward the entire movie. And then one of them asks, “Now what?”
[Watch the “Now What?” scene here.]
And... that’s basically how I feel right now.
I have a whole list of things I want to do and enjoy: go to the beach, work on my marine bio curriculum, plan blogs through December, spend time with my siblings, clean my house, and so on.
But one thing I rely on during the school year to keep me moving is suddenly, spectacularly missing: a schedule. Suddenly faced with what feels like all the time in the universe, my ADHD kicks in, and I end up taking a long nap on the sofa instead of doing any of the things I genuinely wanted to do.
It’s incredibly frustrating.
Which is why, despite my goal of publishing every Wednesday, here I am Thursday morning slowly tapping out sentences. I figured the blog was a good entry point into getting things done. It’s already “overdue,” which apparently makes it easier for my brain to care about it. Thanks, brain. I’m hoping finishing this will help me build a little momentum.
It also doesn’t help that the weather right now SUCKS. It’s noon and currently 99 degrees Fahrenheit, with a high of 103 expected later this afternoon. I live in New Jersey, my friends. Not Arizona.
Of course, if I were in Arizona, I probably wouldn’t also be dealing with this humidity. The “feels like” temperature is 107 degrees. 🫠🥵 So I will be remaining indoors, thank you very much.
Anywho, somewhere between Finding Nemo, my overdue blog post, and complaining about the weather, I seem to have talked myself around to the actual problem: I’m falling into that familiar trap of tying my self-worth to my productivity.
I don’t have to be productive today. I don’t have to immediately fill every hour summer has handed back to me. And hey, I successfully wrote my blog post. Hopefully it’ll even get posted before next Wednesday. 😩
If you’re feeling this too, give yourself some grace. The transition from the incredibly busy, highly structured days of the school year to the wide-open days of summer is a bigger shift than we sometimes give it credit for. Give yourself a little time to find a new rhythm that works for you.
Maybe it’s sleeping in later. (I keep trying, but my body insists that 5 AM is a perfectly reasonable time to be awake.) Maybe it’s enjoying your coffee or tea outside before the heat becomes personally offensive. Maybe it’s giving yourself a day to binge-watch the second season of The Pitt. Definitely on my summer to-do list.
A little routine might help you find your footing. But whatever your summer rhythm looks like, remember that you are allowed to set aside time to do absolutely nothing. No responsibilities. No deadlines. No need to turn your rest into another thing you’re trying to be good at.
You can just enjoy the moment you’re in.
And maybe your “now what?” is about more than losing your school-year schedule. Maybe, like me, you start talking about one thing and eventually realize there’s something else sitting underneath it.
That’s exactly the kind of space I created The Open Door Session for. It’s a free, 45-minute conversation where we can follow the thread together. No worksheet. No pressure to arrive with an answer. Just space to talk through where you are and listen for what might be underneath the surface.
Book your free Open Door Session.
Until next time,
Small ripples can still change the tide.
Regina 🐙