The Earth completed one rotation on its axis, Friday evolved into Saturday, and in a span of twenty-four hours, my life underwent a makeover reminiscent of one of those HGTV shows where people redecorate a room in their friends’ homes: the scenery is barely recognizable, but the change is relieving and enjoyable.

Friday, June 21, 2:30 pm: Lee Walker sits at his desk, awaiting my journey down the UF classroom to submit my scantron. At the time I’m sitting next to Jesse--- probably the coolest chick I met this summer. She just has that vibe that says, “Hey, I’m just a cool girl.”--- and we’re both taking our final exam for Comparative Politics. Hours of studying and tiresome nights precluded this exam which will conclude my summer semester. My shaved-bald professor has been quite the listener and compromiser, one of the nicest and most flexible professors to teach me. Sadly, when he announces, “I know I enjoyed you and this class, and I hope all of you enjoyed it too,” Jesse, I, and the rest of the class wonder what reaction we should give. There’s a reason I dubbed Comparative Politics as the student art-doodling capital of the world: the class was so effin boring we gave up trying to listen to our professor and spent lecture time doodling and awaiting 3:15. Friday would be our final time here, fortunately, and all that separated me from complete academic freedom sat atop my desk, eager to be bubbled with my #2 pencil.

Saturday, June 22, 2:30 pm: I struggle to fight off the lovely Haley’s attempt at clipping Camille’s hair extension on my head. As a whip cracks in the background, I submit, allow myself to look like a longhaired hippie for a few seconds--- for Haley’s sake, of course--- and snatch the hair mat off my scalp. We return to the couch overlooking Pensacola Beach. The waves are crashing, though the sky unfortunately shadows with a gray dim. Only one level of steps separates us from the Jacuzzi and the white sands. My family and I will be spending the entire week in this serene condo. Even as I type, a mere turn of my head lets me see the moonlight bouncing off the waves, appearing closer to the palm trees than ever before. The rays sucked all the energy from my body this afternoon, and I’m beached out for the night, ready for bed. When the morning comes, I’ll awake refreshed, the sun will shine on the sand, and I’ll be ready for another trip down by the shore… after I take Haley to lunch.

Twenty-four hours, felling eternally separated, existing in other worlds. From a mundane routine of summer school, I leave an empty apartment, drive I-10 with my cousin and his girlfriend, discover my cousin has matured immensely since our last talks, and arrive in Pensacola, my home. I may complain about Pensacola quite often, and I never intend to establish residence here ever again, but it is my home, where my parents raised me, where I made my childhood friends, where I first kissed a girl, where I played in the marching band, where I broke boards for Taekwondo, where I come for peace from school.

I’ll be here for two months. A change of scenery, barely recognizable, yet a change relieving and enjoyable.