Summer at last. It's that time of the year again, when calendars are consulted on a daily basis and dates in homework diaries are slowly but surely marked with a cross. Every crossed-out day signifies a step closer to the glorious summer holidays that will deliver us from the brain-washing limbo state we call the school year. In another week, we shall be rejoicing in the knowledge that we will never ever again have to desperately try to coax the nurse to write a sick note for us before a maths lesson, when the teacher is certain to demand last night's homework. Or furtively rub off mascara when the bursar approaches, then scoot to the bathroom to redo it. For two magnificent months, at least.
Plans for the summer are eagerly being made and we already have quite a few people who will begin journeys of self-improvement this year. Someone even plans to overcome their habit of procrastination, having put off their plans for overcoming procrastination habits last year, and the year before that. I love how Garfield-esque real life can be. If anyone is not looking forward to two whole months of beach going and ice-cream consumption - and then panicking and crash dieting before school begins again, it's parents. Mine have made clear to me in no uncertain terms that it is important to step out of the house as often as I can to avoid turning into a couch potato, or I can read ahead on schoolwork and increase guitar practice time.
In short, I must stay out of their sight and earshot for as long as possible, or measures will be taken to remove me. I don't understand how my delightful company can cause adverse health effects, which is what my parents imply happens to them after a conversation about pocket money with me, but that's adults for you. I have been informed by my music teacher that we must increase our musical exposure, so attending concerts is the most active thing I plan to do in the summer. Perhaps the occasional jaunt to the beach won't hurt either. Dubai being Dubai, there is no shortage of events, so the end of term will be celebrated by taking part in a sort of giant treasure hunt. Called EMDI's A-Maze-ing Race, it involves driving around Dubai to various locations and uncovering clues to the next location, with the satisfying prize of Dh5,000 for the five-strong team that finishes the hunt first.
Although it's for over-16s, I am hoping to get my hands on a part of the prize by participating with older team mates. Just goes to show that we never really grow too old for treasure hunts. I cannot help but wonder at some people I must hesitate to call "people", because AJ, a friend, has decided to use her summer "profitably" and will be flying off to Stanford University's summer school. What is the point of summer school? Why do you need it when you are going to have regular school for the rest of the year? Its only purpose, I believe, is to make everyone else who isn't going feel utterly demotivated.
My idea of using the summer profitably is to seize every moment away from the dreaded institution we have developed a love-hate relationship with, and lie flat on a bean bag for hours pleasantly working out what goals I want to set for myself this summer. These range from "Get better at French" to "Own a pair of heels higher than two inches". I then come to the conclusion that the goals are not possible to achieve within this short span of time and must therefore be discarded.
I might not get off scot-free this summer, however, as we plan to pay a visit to India this year. While I can think of nothing better than cooling off in the Indian monsoon after the Dubai summer - and anyone would actually welcome rain after a year in the desert - I shall also be meeting my grandma after a year. Her idea of grandma-granddaughter bonding is doing some lovely trigonometry together. Poof go dreams of running about in puddles in quaint streets with little neighbourhood kids. Sometimes I get the feeling that it's just my family. School isn't quite over yet, but I reckon I will start counting the days until it starts again - midway through summer.
Lavanya Malhotra is a 14-year-old student in Dubai