by the SpW editors –
What are we up to this Summer?
Marina: I look forward to driving along rugged Scottish coasts, hiking in breathtaking landscapes, and staying in castles.
Eva: I will be turning 27 at the end of July and will take precautions to avoid joining the infamous 27 Club. My birthday reminds me that life goes by fast but can be slowed down by living consciously. That’s why I’m looking forward to reconnecting this summer, be it with neglected friends, forgotten hobbies, or something approaching a healthy sleep cycle.
Tess: I will spend most of the summer at sea or in the mountains. As much as I love Amsterdam, summers are meant to be spent amidst the sounds of waves and birds, away from the city smoke and into the fresh air. And of course, I’ll take my favorite people along. Sailing back in time for the start of the new academic year. Ahoy!
Peter: The first few weeks will be a mental and physical restoration due to an excess of exertion. After this intense starter, I will enjoy the main course: I expect days of 35+ degrees, so I can retreat to the cinema without apologizing. Summer in the Netherlands! Assen, Ammerstol, Wognum, and Langbroek! Let’s go crazy!
Jordi: This summer, I am looking forward to traveling, relaxing, clearing my mind, spending time with important people in my life, reflecting, and making new plans.
Robert: I am writing this message from a campsite in a French mountain village, which is exactly what I’ve been looking forward to over the last few months. In recent years it’s become a tradition for me to take a couple of weeks off every year to do a longer hike or bike ride by myself to clear my head, to the point that I start longing for that moment as early as January.
Sam: I long for the enrichment that relaxation can provide. I crave the monotony of taking one step after another and never knowing exactly what comes next. I yearn for one letter after another, forming a word, creating a sentence, perhaps an idea. A cliché, certainly, but something that should not be forgotten amidst the depth of literature that an academic surrounds themselves with. The sand between your toes, the rustling leaves stirred by a breeze driven by the east wind, the kind that sharpens and awakens you; the wonder, however simple, is what I yearn for.
Dear readers, have a wonderful Summer and see you again in September!