“Cool for the summer!”
Obviously, Demi Lovato does not have to take summer classes. Some of us, however will find ourselves back at SFU while the world vacations and travels.
Summer semester sucks. I’m sorry, but it just does. It is bright and sunny and fabulous outside, but you are imprisoned in the lackluster cement walls that feel like they are closing in. We only have two options: either we take four months off, putting graduation off just that much more or we take classes and barely get two weeks of summer vacation.
Having taken classes every summer semester since 2012, I have amassed a vast experience of the best and worst of this bittersweet time. If you take classes you will see the bad on your own (sad, but true), but here is some of the good that summer semester entails:
Campus Scenery
It’s Vancouver. It rains. That being said, over the last couple of years the rain has significantly decreased and now we actually know what sunlight is. SFU was supposedly designed by a dude who designed prisons for a living. With absolutely no knowledge or understanding of architecture or construction whatsoever, I would describe SFU Burnaby as boring, uninspired, stark, and colorless. BUT, in the summer the sun shines, the clouds disappear and the birds sing. Literally. SFU looks like the college campus our teen-angst-ridden selves dreamed we would be a part of while watching every American TV show or movie ever.
Transportation
The transit life sucks. Especially in the fall and spring semesters when we are plagued by rain, overpopulation, and ridiculously long wait times. But in the summer, as the buses continue to run regularly, you finally rediscover the meaning of personal space. And if you are driving, there is no shortage of parking. Dare I say, it may even take less than 2 minutes for an empty spot to come into view.
Weather
You can wear what you want. No more jackets and toques and scarves to protect yourself from the cruel, harsh, brutal winters on the mountain (No, I am not exaggerating, not even a little bit). The only reason you will need an umbrella is because you are hard-pressed to find a spot in the shade.
Time
The days are longer. You can take classes at 8:30 am or 5:30 pm and still leave school to see the light of day. This makes your schedule flexible. The majority of students only take one or two classes in the summer. The distance education options are also appealing. Take the class online, go on vacation, and the write the exam in a certified institution abroad.
Intersession
Summer offers a significant number of intersession classes. They are usually six weeks, instead of thirteen. Enjoy some well-deserved time off school while pocketing credits. Imagine that!
Summer Drinks
Iced Capps and Frappuccinos. ‘Nuff said.