Independent University Newspaper
Copenhagen Business School

Popular searches:

Independent University Newspaper

Copenhagen Business School

What to do about Summer?

As the August sun burns, summer is slowly coming to an end. Ahead lies a new school year with tasks and challenges, making us question whether or not the last few months have been successfully used as a student.

Where did the time go?

We are already in August and it seems like just yesterday that we had our last exams and cheered for the next few months of freedom. Now, with only a few weeks left before classes start, I start to wonder what kind of concept “summer” actually is.

When we were kids, it was the season of no school and outdoor explorations. A temporary release from prison, where there were no teachers to tell you off, no early morning alarm clocks and best of all, no homework. Summer was the climax of the year and the epitome of being free to explore the other side of town or the other side of the world.

Today, university students still maintain the excitement concerning the summer holiday. We see it as a reward for all our hard work throughout the past semester. A prize we receive for all the hours spent at the library and a time, where classes no longer bind us to Solbjerg Plads and Dalgas Have. The liberty we experienced as kids still seem to be the foundation of the summer holidays. As if we are free to do what we please. But is this the reality of it all?

As much as I would like myself to believe that my summer holiday has been a destressing treat and a time of mindfulness and peace, the truth is, I have been anxious and nervous throughout the most of it. Wondering if my time at the beach could have instead been spent learning something new. Questioning if my week abroad should have instead been used on a summer job to improve my CV. Doubting whether my choice of fictional books would have been more giving if I read up on some extra theoretical texts instead.

The summer holidays seem to only guarantee the fear of missing out

Caroline Charlotte Boas Andersen, student editor

The solution to my problem induced thoughts could easily be Summer School, but with that, a new stress enhancing doubt arises, as I suddenly worry about missing out on weekday parties, exciting trips to the Far East, or joining friends and family for a trip to the country side.

Either way, the summer holidays seem to only guarantee the fear of missing out – whether it be socially, financially or academically. The dilemma of what to do during the summer seems to linger. Both for myself and for others.

It is as though our ambitions and visions for the future are making the carelessness of our childhood summers difficult to maintain. Because, despite being done with finals, we still keep examining ourselves about what could, would, and should happen in these summer months – and no distance in the world or extra curricula can seem to stop this.

Summer gives us the liberty to choose what to do, but the options seem endless, resulting in a boomerang effect, where our possibilities also become restrictions towards gaining peace and comfort in the choices we make. There always seems to be something else to do. Something smarter. Something wilder. Something better.

Regret seems to be the only souvenir everyone comes back home with and it’s worrying to know that we can’t even enjoy a situation, which is only happening for a privileged few.

Because as hard as it is to believe, the world keeps on spinning from July through to August and it needs people to work regardless of the season. As students, we often blind ourselves and see the summer holidays as a necessity rather than a privilege, which is only making the lack of appreciation of the holidays worse.

If all we can do with summer is to stress about it then what good is it?

Instead, we could start to appreciate the opportunities these months provide us with – whether it be extra school courses, new adventures or trying to catch up on the latest season of Game of Thrones. We need to be decisive and relaxed in whatever we choose to do because if we deny ourselves this, we will come back to CBS feeling less encouraged, inspired and destressed.

So, do with summer as you please, but just remember to embrace and enjoy the privilege of this time, as it will not last forever.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

What to do about Summer?by

  • News

    Layoffs break the crucial trust between organisation and employee

    CBS is laying off a number of employees soon, which will affect our university in different ways. When employees are fired without having done anything wrong, it shatters the trust between the organisation and employees, while also taking a toll on productivity, according to a CBS expert. Layoffs also affect the ‘survivors’, who are forced to adapt to a changed workload and the loss of cherished colleagues.

  • News

    Here to help – at the touch of a button and at Campus Desk

    Exam anxiety? Lost student card? I’ve wedged my car between a Fiat 500 and a lamp post, can you help? You never know what you’ll be asked next. But that’s just how the Campus Desk team like it. And if they can’t fix your problem, they’ll know someone who can. CBS WIRE asked the team about the whole range of topics they advice on every day.

  • News

    Why so sudden? The CBS financial crisis explained

    Employees and union representatives have posed many questions in the wake of the 17 August announcement of a firing round. In this interview, University Director Arnold Boon explains how Senior Management has been working with the budget and a change of financial strategy since the fall of 2022, and why layoffs are now necessary.

  • Illustration: Ida Eriksen

    News

    Here’s what you need to know about the master’s reform

    The political parties behind the master’s reform have adjusted their original proposal to shorten or reorganize up to 50 percent of master’s programmes after pressure from CBS and the other Danish universities. Fewer shortened master’s and longer to implement changes are some important revisions to the reform. CBS’ president is pleased that the government and other parties behind the reform have listened to some of the critique given by the universities but raises concern about cutting more study places in bachelor’s programmes.

  • News

    CBS Quiz Time: Unraveling the success story

    A successful university environment such as CBS is often associated with academic pursuits, but campus life extends far beyond the classroom. At CBS Quiz Time, a student society motivated by creative thinking and social engagement, students join in a refreshing range of creativity, excitement, and social interaction. CBS WIRE talked to Celine Møller-Andersen to find out about the society’s vision, strategies and the factors that are driving its rapid expansion.

  • Gif of the week
  • Blog

    Uncertain times: Essential for business schools to understand their market

    The alliance of European business schools met at CBS in June to enhance recruitment strategies, stay informed on industry trends, and analyse where the global economy is heading. The CBS MBA Programmes shares some key take-aways from Associate Dean and Professor Jesper Rangvid’s presentation.

  • News

    Working hard all summer: Bachelor Admissions

    The employees in charge of bachelor admissions at CBS are a small exclusive team. They ensure the validity of diplomas and the fulfilment of entry requirements for bachelor’s degrees at CBS – and, not least, that the applicants get the necessary help to upload the right documentation and find their way around the application procedures.

Follow CBS students studying abroad

CBS WIRE collaborates with Videnskab.dk

Stay connected

Close