The much deserved summer break

After studying until the a.m. and getting through finals, it is time for the much deserved summer break. As

Illustration by Brandy Pickering

soon as school is out, reward yourself, whether you enjoy the company of your friends, family or maybe just yourself.

Tons of BC students will attend classes and then head home with little to no social interaction. Take the chance to make plans with friends or classmates. Connecting with new people could turn into a lifetime of friendships.

Plan a barbeque by the beach or in a park. Encourage everyone to bring a dish of their own. To make it even more fun, suggest that the dish represent their culture. If you want to do something on a more personal level, plan a camping trip. Do a Costco run, and carpool over to Lake Chelan for a couple of days. Summer break should be a time to escape from your everyday routines and enjoy stress-free weeks. If camping isn’t your style, then think about planning a road trip.

Want a fun summer of romance? Start it off with a drive-in theater. Go ballroom dancing at Century Ballroom in downtown Seattle and afterwards hit up Dicks for some fries and Yogurtland for some evening dessert. There are some great BC student discounts, like indoor sky diving near Southcenter. Try something out of your comfort zone with a partner. Summer is also a great time to start dating, so keep your options open and start looking.

Switch up your playlist. You’ve been listening to the same tunes from fall, but since you’ve been so busy with homework, your music hasn’t been updated. Check out the latest hits or experiment with music and try listening to a new genre or a new band. Perhaps there’s a song that’s way overplayed on the radio, but you cannot stop singing it. Look up what other music that artist has to offer.

Go to a summer event, like a concert or festival. There are tons of summer events that will definitely get you in the summer mood. Watch Fourth of July Fireworks at Emerald Downs, go to the Bellevue summer outdoor movies, Jamfest, various art festivals and Capitol Hill Block Party. Seattle has tons of events throughout the summer that will keep reminding you of the wonderful break you are on.

For some, being social isn’t a top priority. A lot of people will use their summer break as a way to work even more hours. Give your boss your new hours soon so that they can start scheduling more hours for you. Allow yourself time for free time so that you don’t end up working yourself to death. After all, it’s called “summer break” for a reason.

If you don’t have a job yet, start looking. There are tons of summertime job opportunities. Go to Craigslist and check out some of the local gigs. With all the upcoming events, people are constantly looking for workers. Also, because people graduate and move away, businesses are looking for replacements. Market yourself to as many companies you find interesting as possible and land yourself a job!

There are endless possibilities during summer break. Make the most of it and have fun.