Let me first start out by saying this is not my first rodeo when it comes to summer school in college. My first experience was back in San Antonio at Northwest Vista College two years ago. Remarkably, however, the reasons for taking summer school haven’t changed that much for me. My first foray at summer school was basically because I REALLY wanted to get my gen ed’s done in two years (at the time it would’ve taken two and half years thanks to my terrible math skills). This time it’s because I REALLY want to graduate this year (turns out Iowa is really expensive for out-of-staters; who knew?). So far, it hasn’t been too bad. I actually enjoy it much more than the first time I took summer classes. In San Antonio it was 90+ degrees every day, and always sunny. The last place I wanted to be was in a classroom learning about Oceanography (it fulfills a Biology credit, FYI). Up here in Iowa, though, the weather is beautiful but not so awesome that you want to be outside all day (plus it rains like every other day and the gnats attack your face, but besides that, it’s great). I’m currently wrapping up my first three-week course, America in a World at War 1931-1945 (sounds amazing, right?). On Friday, I officially begin my time with The Daily Iowan, writing sports (If you can’t get enough of my amazing work here, you can get your weekly fix now).

But by far my favorite thing about summer school in Iowa is the empty city. Not that I don’t love walking through a crowd of lost freshman getting from one class to the next in the school year, but walking around Iowa City in the summer is just so peaceful.

Oh yeah, I hit up the Rec in the summer too. You literally have the run of the place during the right hours (but yeah, you can figure that out for yourself).