As days slowly finish thawing and the sun peaks out from its hiding place, summer fun feels right around the corner.
UPDATE: This story was updated on Sunday May 15, 2011 at 11:15 pm.
Around campus, students can be heard finalizing various plans for summer amid the chaos of completing tests and final papers. With such a diverse population, it�s certain that CU students have a variety of plans lined up for their four month break.
The Boulder Creek Festival, strolling down Pearl Street with an ice-cream cone amidst the backdrop of Colorado’s great outdoors are just a few reasons why students view summertime as a perk of attending CU.
Not all students will stay near CU for the summer. Callie Lardas, a 20-year-old junior communications major, said she is going home to work, after spending last year�s summer in Boulder.
�I�m super sad I don�t get to stay here because it�s amazing in the summer,� Lardas said. �But I�m going to go home to work for a while. I�ll probably work for my parents. It�s an easy job and it pays well.�
Lardas said her favorite part about Boulder�s warm months is being out in the sunshine.
�I definitely go to the creek,� Lardas said. �I don�t know if Red Rocks counts �cause it�s not in Boulder, but I go there a lot � and hiking � anything outside is pretty much okay with me.�
While many students will hit the trails and lounge by the pool, some students find ways to continue their favorite winter activities. Mechelle Little, an 18-year-old freshman pre-communication and Spanish major, said she plans to go back to her home in Louisville and spend plenty of time at the ice skating rink.
�I�ll be staying here, working and traveling a little bit,� Little said. �And I�ll be doing figure skating. I sort of compete and practice a lot and I skate here at CU.�
Summer is traditionally a time to take a mental vacation from academic stress. However, many choose to use this extra time to catch up on credits. Dominique Bixler, a 19-year-old freshman psychology major, said that she plans to do her schoolwork from her home.
�I�m taking some summer classes,� Bixler said. �But I�m going to do it from Red Rocks [Community College] because I live in Highlands Ranch. So coming all the way to CU everyday isn�t great.�
But hard work isn�t the only thing in store for Bixler this summer. She said that going home gives her the chance to spend time with the people she couldn�t see during the school year.
�My fianc� goes to school in Washington, so he�s coming home this summer,� Bixler said. �So I�m excited to do stuff with him because I haven�t seen him in months.�
With graduation being only a recent memory for many seniors, it seems like the ideal time to for a celebratory adventure. Lukas Eddy, a 22-year-old senior environmental studies major, said that he couldn�t wait to leave the United States and explore the world.
�I�ve decided I don�t want to commit to the capitalist society that is America,� Eddy said. �I�ve applied to several internships abroad in places like China and Indonesia. So if I get them, I�ll go do that, but if I don�t, I guess I�ll just travel and live on the zero dollars that I have until something comes up.�
When asked if he was looking forward to the relaxation after graduation, Eddy said he knows he�ll have fun.
�Are you kidding? I�m beyond excited,� Eddy said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Stephanie Riesco at [email protected].
