Another year has come and gone. Classes are winding down as tests rapidly approach and anticipation of summer fills the air. Some students and faculty cruised through the semester with ease, while others endured the brunt of their academic work. No matter the ease or difficulty of one’s semester, the end is near. What has come, has come and passed, and now is the time to look forward to the future, including this summer.

It seems that during the course of a student’s college career, life can be cyclical. School starts at the beginning of the semester with new classes, new challenges and new friends. Then, after several weeks, life becomes a little crazier. Classes become more difficult, stress builds and all may seem lost at some point. Then, a light at the end of the tunnel begins to shine as the end of the semester approaches. Stress seems a little more manageable and then finals week is underway in no time. Each semester is always different, but it is always the same lapse of time. Thankfully, at the end of the cycle is a happy stretch of several months called summer.

For most students, summer is a time for relaxing, working, having fun and enjoying life. However, some students take advantage of the lighter schedule by taking summer courses. These are the students who refuse to stop learning (or those who need to boost their GPA). Even though one might not be taking a summer course, the summer is still a perfect time to learn.

Even though academic work may not be the most invigorating thing to learn this summer, there is a never-ending list of non-academic activities and hobbies that one can learn to do over the summer. Perhaps you have always wanted to learn how to cook or how to whittle wood. Maybe you have a strong desire to learn how to juggle or ride a unicycle, or perhaps you could learn to play an instrument like the guitar, piano or the harmonica. There are literally a thousand different productive activities that a person can do and learn over the summer. Instead of wasting the summer away with time-wasting activities, why not be productive and learn something that you can take with you the rest of your life?

Sure, learning things in school is important for a job or career, but there are other, less academic things that a person can learn to curve their personality. Take advantage of the summer and make the most of the enjoyable time that you are given. Like the cycle of a school year, summer will be over and, before you know it, the fall semester will be here in no time.

 

Michael Promes is a sophomore majoring in business economics. He can be emailed at [email protected].