#BirdofMouth blogger Tim Young is a recent public relations and information systems graduate.
So you’ve signed your lease, and for the first time in your life, you can live on your own for the summer. It may be a little intimidating, but I’m here to tell you that there’s no better place to spend the summer than Illinois State University, and here’s why!
Make more local friends
As I start to get older, the friends that return to my hometown are decreasing. Most of them are out doing internships, taking classes, or simply relaxing in their college town of choice. At the same time, I am meeting more and more friends at Illinois State that I want to stay in touch with. Maybe this is just part of becoming an adult (*shiver*) but it gives me more of an incentive to stay in Bloomington-Normal.
Get a job or internship
The summer is a perfect time to hunt for a job or find your dream internship. With seniors graduating, there are always plenty of positions open, many within walking distance of campus! On the internship side, companies like State Farm and Country Financial are always looking for new interns who are ready to learn. Illinois State also offers tons of internships throughout the summer. Check with your professors and advisors to see if you can turn your summer boredom into valuable work experience.
Bond with the roomies
If this is the first time you’re living with your roommates, the summer is an excellent time to start creating some friendships and building roommate synergy. By the time the actual school year starts, you and your roommate(s) should be best buddies. This also reduces stress come class time because you will already be moved in and situated. I learned this the hard way by deciding to move in three days before classes started my junior year (I do not recommend it).
Summer classes
I cannot stress this enough: Summer classes are a lifesaver! By taking classes in the summer, I can even-out my class schedule for the fall and spring semesters and always be that guy with the amazing class schedule (aka, no classes on Friday). Most classes are only about nine weeks, which leaves a huge chunk of your summer left for summer fun. Most of my classes last year were entirely online, so I could go outside and do my homework if I wanted. Check out the Summer Session class schedule for more info. Even if you missed the boat for this year’s Summer Session, it’s never a bad thing to plan ahead for next year.
You’re probably paying for it anyway
Unless you are very specific in your lease signing, you will probably have a May–May lease, which means even if you go home you still have to pay for your apartment. But if you’ve been reading this article, you know that this potential bummer is actually awesome because it means you have one more reason to spend the summer at Illinois State University.
See you this summer at Illinois State University!
#BirdofMouth student blogger Tim Young is a recent public relations and information systems graduate. Read more #BirdofMouth posts.
