Summer always goes by too quickly. Whether or not you live by the academic calendar, Labor Day seems to mark the end of relaxed living, even if you are just as busy in the summer as you may be during the rest of the year. At a barbeque tonight, I was asked a few times where I go to school, always followed up with, “do you like it there?” The answer to me is a no-brainer: I love it. So why do I suddenly have that old “back to school” feeling?

I had a great summer, but spending all of my time outside of small-town Vermont made writing for this website challenging. After all, it is a blog about Middlebury, as told by me and Sam. Looking back on the last three months as a whole, however, made writing a blog entry much easier. I was far away from Middlebury—spending most of the summer with family in Maryland and in New York—but my thoughts often drifted to life and friends at school. (And not just because I unexpectedly ran into Middlebury graduates in College Park, Maryland, at the Washington Nationals Stadium, and in mid-town Manhattan.)

Taking a course at a large university prompted me to compare the classes there to those at Middlebury. It helped me realize why I believe in a liberal arts education and made me more grateful for the one that I have. Moreover, I was not fully aware of how integrated the community is at Middlebury both in and out of the classroom. Being a commuter student this summer made me feel very differently about living, eating, studying and socializing with so many different people at Middlebury. I am not restricted to the Bihall by the science classes I take (although some may argue with me on that!), nor are my friends necessarily my age or focused only on arts or on athletics. They come from all over the country and the world, with interests and majors as varied as their backgrounds. Being in the same place at the same time really connects the students at Middlebury and makes them invest in campus life—a part of our college experience that I took for granted in the past.

I look forward to the start of the school this year with a mix of excitement and nervousness. As a rising Senior Feb, many of my friends will graduate by the year’s end, either as Super Senior Febs or simply as Seniors. I anticipate that this will really change my time at Middlebury, and might be the reason I feel a little apprehensive about returning to school. That said, the new school year also ushers in a host of new classes, new faces and more new opportunities than I will ever be able to take advantage of. What’s not to like?