I ride my bike through the streets of Seattle, feeling the fall moisture on my face and the chill in my hands. I’m listening to a Radiohead song curiously entitled “Exit Music (For A Film),” and I suddenly feel like that last character, riding off the set. The story has transpired. Summer is over.
Much of my summer was spent running around in a lab coat and safety glasses. The U.W. chemistry department was kind enough to take me on as an intern, so 30 hour weeks of washing beakers and manipulating chemicals became my first real job. I enjoyed myself for sure; it’s great to be able to learn things and get paid for it (albeit minimum wage). But I’ve pretty much decided that chemistry isn’t a major interest for me. I found that, once you learn the concepts and techniques (which are fascinating, don’t get me wrong), it’s mostly just repetitive execution of things you already know how to do. That’s not what I want to do with my life. I want something that provides a new challenge every day, new wisdom around every corner. But either way, my internship was a vastly worthwhile experience.
I can now add “runner” to the list of words that describe me. Over the last few months, nearly every morn has seen a 4-5 mile jog. I take days off to keep from running myself down, but I love the near-daily endorphin rush and how thoroughly refreshed I feel afterwards. Not to mention keeping fit, which is always a bonus. Ultimate season come hither.
I started writing my college applications too. I have my heart perhaps irrationally set on Stanford, which seems perfect in any number of ways. With academics of renowned quality, a beautiful campus, the best computer science department in the country, a purportedly easy-going social atmosphere, fantastic weather, and a stellar Ultimate team, no other school could seem more perfect. I’ve written drafts for the common app and the Stanford supplement, and though I feel good about the content, they are uniformly too long by about 20% each. I hate length requirements. But I can have it all polished and ready to go by November 1st, deadline for the early decision application. The hardest job now is figuring out where else I’d be happy if/when Stanford rejects me.
I’ve pretty much decided what I want to do with my life. Don’t bother with the drum roll: I’ve done this before, but my interests have take a new turn of late. Previously I have been interested in pure science or math, dedicating my life to research and doing my part towards the enrichment of human knowledge. While this still holds some appeal, my enduring interest in computer science and my desire to change the world have morphed my aspirations into a more illustrious and elusive career plan: I want to be a digital entrepreneur. Mom says I was born 20 years too late for this to be a successful idea, but I beg to differ. With the right education, a lot of creativity (which I think I can muster), some great business partners, and the wide, wide world of venture capitalism, I think I have a good chance. And if it doesn’t work the first time, I can just eat ramen for another year and try again, right? Right.
The summer has seen many other things come to pass. I’ve spent a lot of time with friends new and old, and eaten some great food. I’ve watched some good movies, read some good books, and I went to B.C. with my parents. I managed to destroy and reinstall my operating system three times, and learned in the process the valuable skills of data recovery. I began writing software to simulate the “social fish,” or how a simple organism will act in a group. I saw Chromeo live in concert at the Capitol Hill Block Party. I legally became a man, and can now buy all the dry ice and scratch tickets I want. I won $2.20 at Emerald Downs. I’ve discovered a lot of good music, and have even begun creating some of my own. I continue to learn and practice the skills of a Linux user, and enjoy it. I dislocated my shoulder trying to break up a dogfight, the last time I’ll try to pull that stunt. And I got volunteer hours aplenty, but not nearly enough, of course.
Some things remain unaccomplished. I have yet to obtain a drivers license; I’m a great driver and have taken the “knowledge test”, but I can’t take the “skill test” until October 3rd. It has become a fall project. I planned to start a band with a friend this summer, but all we never got around to recording anything. Another fall project. I also meant to spend more time geeking around on my computer this summer, but I only accomplished a moderate amount of this. A guy can’t do everything, though I continue to give it my best shot.
A good summer. A full summer. The last summer that I spend before seeing all my high school peers again. The last summer before I know what I’ll be doing with the four most pivotal years of my life. I think I spent it well. And though I mourn its passing, I feel it couldn’t have been more than it was. Back to life in a different fast lane.
