Sun reflecting off a lake. (Credit: Ashlyn Pearce/The Quill)
The measure of your sanity is determined by the number of hours you spend outside of this city. Therefore, spend as little time in it as you possibly can this summer. Some of you will be returning to your hometowns, others visiting foreign lands, and some of you will perhaps remain here. My advice?
Get out while you still can. The school year will return with a vengeance soon enough.
Summer is a time for adventure, for wandering, getting lost, and drinking a little too much at that party (don’t drink and drive).
Brandon is a tiny city, surrounded by a great deal of wilderness… kind of. While you probably won’t get lost, try it anyway.
Find yourself a tent and a couple of sleeping bags and venture out into that wilderness (camping in your backyard does not count, nor does pitching a tent in your living room).
To ensure you don’t die be sure to make a packing list. Should this list include a Roomba, ice-maker, or a Keurig, you are doing it wrong and will most likely die in the woods. Glamping is so last year. This year is all about real camping, taking it back to its roots. That means no showering and living on a steady diet of beer.
You will probably want to pack a hatchet, and maybe some matches. If The Walking Dead has taught us anything you will probably want a baseball bat as well.
There are numerous lakes scattered throughout the province, some are only a short drive away. No car? No problem… you will just have to walk to your destination. Or find a friend with a car.
In all seriousness, get outside this summer. Go to the beach, go camping, eat ice cream, and start a fire (a safe fire). Whether you are celebrating the summer solstice, Canada’s 150+, or the return of Cthulhu, have some fun and spend time with the people you love. You will be slaving away once again when September rolls around.
Republished from The Quill print edition, Volume 107, Issue 29, April 11th, 2017.