You put your pen down, stand up and turn in your exam. Finals are over, and you’re homebound.
But, after sitting at home for a few weeks, you’re bored and sick of the summer job you’ve had since high school, the deadbeat town you’ve lived in your whole life and old friends who you don’t seem to have much in common with anymore.
Instead of spending your summer at home, why not stay in State College?
I spent my summer here last year. It was my first semester at Penn State, and I can say it was the best summer of my life. My high school friends told me going to school in the summer was crazy, but I don’t regret the decision for a second.
You have your entire life to go down to the shore or take an island vacation, but you only have four years — give or take — to spend at Penn State.
And summer is a great time to be here. Between the Fourth of July celebration, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and lazy days at the pool, there is always something to do in Happy Valley during the summer months.
One of my favorite parts of summer session was the small population. Only a fraction of the student body stays up here for summer, so it feels like the town is your own.
And even though there are way less people here than during the traditional academic year, there are still enough people up here to have fun with.
Since it is such a small group of people, you are more likely to become closer friends with the people you spend your summer with. I made some of my best friends during summer session.
Not only is it fun, but staying for summer session is a great academic opportunity. Summer session classes are condensed, so it’s an easy and quick way to get university required classes out of the way.
If there’s a specific class you’re dreading, you can take it during the summer while you don’t have a full course load. If you’re only taking one class, you have a ton of free time to hangout with friends or sunbathe on the HUB-Robeson Center lawn.
Sure, I am only a freshman, but I already can’t believe how fast my time at Penn State is passing me by. Coming from a big family full of Penn State alumni, I know we will cherish our years here when we leave.
Penn State will always be here for us to come back to and relive our glory days, but we will only be students for so long. Spend as much time as you can here, because after you toss your graduation cap, you’ll be longing to be back here.
Take advantage of every minute you have here and consider coming back for summer session. You won’t regret it.
Mindy Szkaradnik is a freshman majoring in print journalism. Email her at mhs5156@psu.edu.
