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Miss W's blog

End of season panic

It’s here! The end of the summer. And with it, the annual bouts of end of season panic most islanders experience. No matter how many years you’ve lived on...

It’s here! The end of the summer. And with it, the annual bouts of end of season panic most islanders experience.

It’s here! The end of the summer. And with it, the annual bouts of end of season panic most islanders experience. No matter how many years you’ve lived on the white isle, it sneaks up on you every time. If you’re not familiar with end of season panic, please let me enlighten you. It’s the feeling you get when you know there is only a very limited time left to enjoy Ibiza in summer mode, and the burning desire to do EVERYTHING all at once while you still have the chance. I guess you could compare it to school exams – when you haven’t paid attention in class all year and you have to cram for a test the night before. Except it’s way more fun than that. The longer I live in Ibiza, the more intense my end of season panic becomes. I never learn – in fact, I feel like it’s quite the opposite. Take clubbing for example. There are roughly 17 weeks or so of parties happening, day in, day out. Or night in, night out, as the case may be. So, every Monday, when I start to think about popping into DC-10, I find an excuse to put it off to the next week. Then a week later. Then the week after that. Then it’s August, so I happily put that entire month on hold. Then September arrives and I put it off, put it off and then all of a sudden, there are just a few parties left! Now in my first summer season, I went to DC-10 religiously, week in, week out. I know I love it. And yet, I just haven’t been able to get myself out the door.

DC-10 is one of the good ones, as it runs until October. But here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to go to DC-10 next Monday, September 25, 2017 and be reminded about just how amazing it is, and then I’m going to be sad that there are just two more weeks left. Then I’ll have to throw myself into those two weeks wholeheartedly to make up for lost time which means my Monday dance card is now full until the end of the season (and my Tuesdays are potentially written off). The same thing will happen with Afterlife – ah! Just two left! And In The Dark – just one more! Tomorrow! Add Saga at HEART… only the closing party is left. Thank god for Rumors – it runs until October 15! It’s not just clubbing however. It’s EVERYTHING that is amazing about Ibiza in summer. There are so many restaurants to go to before they go into winter hibernation. There are all those new ones I haven’t gotten around to trying yet (too busy waiting for the perfect weeknight when I wasn’t busy!) and then of course, there are all the old faithfuls that you just NEED to go to again so you can have one last taste of that hamachi sashimi or black cod or summer truffle risotto or chateaubriand or lasagne or Pad Thai or eggs benedict or gourmet burgers… my list goes on forever. On the plus side, less calories will be consumed? Or maybe it will be more, as I foresee the next two weeks of binging for breakfast, lunch and dinner just trying to get my fill of as much amazing food as possible.

Then there’s shopping. If I’m honest, in winter, the island’s shopping district is just not quite as magical as it is in summer. Sure, there’s enough to keep yourself well dressed and styled, but the thrill of spending a day popping in and out of hundreds and quaint little stores in Ibiza town or traipsing the island’s many beach boutiques for one-of-a-kind fashion finds is long gone. For me, Ibiza style is all about summer – I love bikinis and kaftans and feather accessories and hippie chic bags and fringed ankle boots and funky little hats and embellished denim mini shorts and oh! Maxi dresses of course. When winter comes, everything is covered in layers and just starts to feel a bit like a uniform (anyone else a fan of yoga pants, hoodies and uggs? So there’s the newfound panic of having to make sure I hit every single shop every single weekend until they finally close their doors so I don’t miss out on anything (including end of season sales). After all, I need to be prepared for next summer! Sunshine is another of those things I feel a mad panic to be immersed in at this time of year. We smugly often declare that Ibiza is sunny 300 days of the year, which is indeed true, but half of those days are not hot enough to sunbathe. Which means there’s no chance of getting (or keeping a tan). For me, sunshine is quite like clubbing. During the summer, I know it’s there, just next to my desk outside on my roof terrace day in, day out. But most days I find I am too busy working to actually take the time to bask in its glory. Then, in August (just like clubbing!) I am happy to skip the sun as it’s too hot and harsh for my skin. In the back of my mind, I’m always thinking ‘in September I’ll sunbathe’. Then wouldn’t you know it, the first three weeks of September have been overcast and I was still busy, and now it’s September 20 and I am still as pale as I was back in May so the panic to spend as much time in the sun as possible ensues. On the plus side, those yoga pants and that hoodie do a good job of hiding pasty, computer-tanned skin.

End of season panic also comes when I start to think about the many friends I haven’t seen all summer, who’ll soon be off on their global travels while some of us stay here to keep an eye on the island. Am I going to be able to find the time to see them before they go? And once I see them, I’ll realise how much I’ve missed them and then berate myself at the fact I let so much time pass in between catch-ups, especially knowing I won’t be able to see them again until next year. Many seasonal workers come to the end of their contracts in the coming weeks, and if, like me, you’re the one responsible for ensuring your seasonal team’s work is completed on time, you’ll be starting to feel the panic that you’ve missed something, somewhere. And the slight dread that this time next month, you’ll go from having an army of helpers to doing everything yourself again. Such is island life. There are so many other forms of end of season panic that can strike, depending on your living situation and work life. Does your seasonal accommodation come to an end, throwing you into the highly competitive Ibiza rental market once more? Are you a freelancer, panicking to ensure all your invoices are paid before your clients jet off to the other side of the world and go off the grid for many months? Have you reached your savings target? Have you remembered to call home at all? Have you done anything for charity? Do you have winter work? Have you seen all your favourite DJs? Is your costume ready for Halloween? The list goes on. And on.

Have you watched enough sunsets? Have you been to your favourite secret beach? Have you been out on a boat? Have you stayed overnight in Formentera? Have you seen the flamingos at Salinas? Have you been to Es Vedra? Have you missed work because you were having an amazing time at an after party? Have you taken enough photos? (and here, I mean GOOD ones, not selfies!) Have you really lived your summer? The good news is, if you answer no to any of these questions or are experiencing any type of panic, there are still around two whole weeks left to get out there and JUST DO IT. Eat all the food, drink all the drinks, soak up all of the sun, buy all the things, dance all night long, smile and laugh with your friends, make new friends, fall in love and be happy because you didn’t miss the entire summer. I imagine end of season panic can also strike holidaymakers. That thought of sitting at a desk, somewhere in the world, and having the realisation that there are only a few weeks left for you to book a holiday or you’ll have to wait until 2018. And for some people, spontaneous Ibiza jaunts just aren’t always feasible. And so with this in mind, despite being in the full grip of my end of season panic, I still feel grateful that Ibiza is my home. Because I know, that after the summer (and this panic!) is over, we will be truly rewarded by the beauty of winter.