Tomas Pulkkinen
Spring is making its arrival at a rapid pace, and it is clearly noticeable here at sea as the sun warms up more and more and storms and hard waves decrease. The surest sign here on the ship, however, is when the engineers spin on deck more than on the plane.
Some of us will continue our internship on the same ship we have been in since March. Some, on the other hand, are waiting at home as they get to the next ship, thanks to Korona. They have not been able to land and most of the ships are not taking on new interns, which increases the line of interns for the receiving vessels. Teaching will continue in September, so for many, the collection of days at sea will inevitably be limited.
In fact, the rest of my time on the ship is just a couple of weeks. In ten weeks, I have had to think about what I would do when I get back home. I myself arrived to this ship right before these exceptional times started. Still a little hard to imagine showing up at home with empty streets and closed shops. Maybe the situation has changed, when I get home.
So what to do in the summer? First I thought it was an easy topic to write about. Who wouldn’t come up with something to do in the summer now, even if they couldn’t go abroad – for now. The festivals have been canceled and terraces are closed, but who really thinks that summer is all about these?
Well, first of all, we are all different persons and even though most of us are inherently social we are all haunted by restrictions in their own way. Those unfamiliar with online games have almost cried about how playing and chatting with friends has been the best thing since the beginning of quarantine. In fact, I no longer even remember when was the last time I played with my friends, so I might have the same kind of reaction.
As an ambivert, I would hardly run into the same problem during the summer unless they start to restrict movement outdoors. At that point, I too would quickly start to get excited about playing again. However, the gluteal muscles should not be used for that alone so I definitely recommend different hobbies, especially water sports. Korona might limit these a bit, but if you find a friend and an SUP board somewhere, or an SUP ferry rental, then that is definitely the best exercise on a hot summer day.
Kayaking is also fun and most of all a good counterweight to being on the computer all the time. It is also good to go from place to place by bicycle. Personally, I don’t own a car, so when I lived in Espoo, the bicycle was a must have in the summer. At the police auction, you would probably find a suitable bicycle with a student budget. Maintaining it is also a good skill to know.
If possible, a visit to the gym is also desirable in the summer, and it is never too late to start. Raising your fitness is easy in the light of summer, when there is naturally more energy than in the darkness of winter.
Summer job? If I could earn a little extra money, even decent work from farms during these times would be interesting and almost for the sake of exercise alone. Domestic strawberries and peas are such a big part of the summer, so it wouldn´t hurt to work for them a little now, would it?
If you still can’t come up with anything, then maybe peeking into the closet would inspire you to put a little extra clothing and stuff up for sale. There is also a good time for hobby projects in the summer; I myself have several projects at home waiting. Summer is far too short to be waisted just staring at walls.
Happy summer!
P.S. Download Tinder and maybe you can find even your summer love. Just kidding. No Tinder.