The University is back! It’s the second week of the semester and things are in full swing with classes, assignments and campus events. It seems like the only thing that hasn’t gone into full swing are the students. The sunny end of summer weather that graces our campus is helping to keep the students warm and happy, sticking with us for a little while longer before the cold settles in. But it seems to have one drawback. Too many students are still stuck in the summer mindset and are trying to keep summer vacation going even as the classes roll on. Regularly you see students drinking lemonade, eating ice cream, having cookouts and playing outdoor games all over campus. 

Plenty of students are managing to participate in those fun summer activities, like having picnics or playing spikeball on the quad with friends, while balancing their time between fun and doing class work. But the more daring students may choose to put off their homework and projects in exchange for more time to relax and have fun soaking in the sun. While procrastinating is never the smart choice, many students find it is  worth it when it means they can go shopping downtown or drive around in their cars, windows rolled down and blasting music while seeing the sights of Lewisburg. 

And for the students who find putting off homework just isn’t enough to get the feeling of freedom back, there are ways to go even further. Partiers on campus have been enjoying the Pool Party and Beach themed Supers all around campus on the weekends. They’re enjoying the tropical decorations and drinks, playlists of all the summer’s biggest hits and the sprinkler systems set up to help beat the heat. Some students are desperate enough that they have already started to plan weekend trips to the closest shorelines, or the farthest depending on how good of a beach they’d like to visit, just to get the authentic feeling of being at a sunny coastline during the summer. Those who don’t have the ability to travel far are depending on the closeness of campus to the Susquehanna River to be able to take a dip in the water and cool off. Despite warnings against doing so, it doesn’t seem to stop those determined few who don’t care about dangers or disrupting crew team practices.

We are all mourning the end of the summer, especially the further we get into the semester, but the ingenuity of the students on campus and their determination to keep the summer vibes going is certainly refreshing.