The Winter Break Warning

~ A Tale of the Transitional Period ~

Waking up in the afternoon,
Then going back to sleep—
Drinking every drink
And eating what you please.

Choosing what you’d like to read
And growing lost in every page;
You’ve lost contact with the outer world
And champagne is your only pain.

After Christmas, and before New Year’s Eve,
Things go very strange.
You don’t know if it’s day or night,
And you have no clue about the date.

Suddenly, you hear it—
Its rumbling draws near.
You tell yourself, “I’m still on break,”
But joy soon becomes fear.

8:30 a.m. classes,
And pancake breakfasts revert to cereal.
Soon the only sleep you’ll get
Are in two-hour tutorials.

You’ll have midterms, exams, and term papers.
Your tears will fall like a faucet.
You’ll soon face the horror of every scholar
When forced into group projects.

The texts on your syllabus
Will be the only books you read,
And a grey campus on a mountain
Will be the only thing you see.

So enjoy the days of joy and peace.
Embrace your freedom one last time.
For soon you’ll remember what it means
To smile while crying inside.

Written by: Youeal Abera