Oh, the joys of summer. Spring quarter is over, and it is now
time for hot days, long classes and high schoolers invading our
campus. And, as much as we all want to have fun, soak in the sun,
and sit in front of the TV all day, we’re likely taking one,
two, maybe even three intense six-week courses.
The difficulty of handling the pain of school with the pleasure
of summer is something every student has to experience. The
temptations are greater and the workload heavier, and nobody wants
to be taking a class instead of going to the beach.
So how do you have fun while combating the pressure of summer
school? When is there time to study when you want to spend the day
outside in the nice weather and the nights with your friends?
Take your work with you. You would be surprised how much reading
you can get done at the beach when you focus on studying. Make
study dates with your friends, and take breaks to do the fun stuff
you normally want to do. As always, school should be a priority,
but your summer fun should be, too.
So, try for efficiency. Stay on campus longer, go to the library
where there are fewer distractions, and then go home and have a
good time.
The possibilities are endless for both school and for
recreation. Summer school has a completely different atmosphere
than normal school. Many of the people you are used to hanging
around with during the year have returned to the comfort of their
homes. You, on the other hand, are stuck here in Los Angeles,
taking summer school classes.
But the great thing about summer at UCLA is it attracts people
from all around ““ including out-of-state students and those
you normally wouldn’t see during the regular year. Those of
you from Los Angeles might even have friends from high school
taking classes here.
Like you, there are thousands of other students in and around
Westwood looking to have fun. And, luckily, there are many untapped
resources in the L.A. area that UCLA students can take advantage of
““ especially during summer.
Take a trip to the beach. Now is the perfect time to learn how
to surf finally or get a nice tan.
Or, if you aren’t into skin cancer, you could try picking
up a hobby. There are tons of classes at the Wooden Center you can
sign up for that range from karate to sailing. Go to a Dodgers
game. Even if you aren’t a Dodgers fan or a baseball fan in
general, night games can be incredibly fun with a group of
friends.
On weekends and breaks visit friends who aren’t staying
here over the summer. Road trips are a great way to bond with
friends and see parts of the state or even the country you
wouldn’t normally get a chance to see.
Explore the city. Normally it could be difficult getting out of
Westwood, so take some of the free time you have to go to
downtown.
In general, have a good time. But make sure you plan enough time
to get your work done ““ there’s no use in taking summer
classes just to retake them during the year.
It’s really easy to get caught up in summer fun and forget
your school obligations. And, as much fun as you may have, none of
us want to stress over the work we eventually will have to scramble
to finish just to get a good grade.
Just remember: It’s all about a good combination of work
and play to have a successful summer at UCLA.
Canary is a third-year English student.