“IV is so different over the summer.” That was a statement I heard all too often when I told people I would be staying in Isla Vista for summer sessions. I just nodded my head and agreed with them, but really, I thought: how different could it really be? The answer to that question was very different indeed.Â
I figured it would obviously be less crowded, I did not however realize how quiet and lonely it would actually feel. The first few weeks after moving into my new apartment were a difficult adjustment to say the least. I was far too accustomed to being able to see and hangout with my friends whenever. That was no longer an option since most of them were back home, abroad, or in D.C.. I had to think of ways to keep myself from going stir crazy, so that meant learning to do things by myself and picking up more hobbies. So, here is a list of the things I have done so far.
- Braving the Rec-Cen
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I love working out, going for runs on the treadmill and getting in a good arm workout. However, I had grown accustomed to the calmness and emptiness of the Loma Paloma gym. Since that was no longer an option, I had to face my fear of working out at the RecCen alone. It started with baby steps, only using the treadmill and stairmaster in the front gym, then slowly, I migrated towards the main gym that is somehow always packed. After a few weeks, it really isn’t that bad, and I think I prefer going alone nowadays.
- Biking for no reason
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One of the more sad parts of spending the summer in Isla Vista is seeing the lack of bikes filling up bike racks on campus. Generally, the only reason I use my bike is to get to and from class. However, I had the brilliant idea to just go on bike rides for fun. Whether it’s just biking aimlessly through IV or biking down to Devs, biking has turned out to be a great way to clear my mind and it just feels freeing.
- keeping Myself fed
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Running errands by myself was never something I had to worry about because up until this summer, I had always lived in the dorms. There was no grocery shopping that I needed to do. And when I would go to Trader Joe’s or Target, it would be to accompany my friends who did actually need to buy food. In order not to starve, I do need to go to the grocery store by myself and have actually found that I quite enjoy it. Strolling through the Co-op while listening to music and thinking about the meals I want to cook has been oddly therapeutic.
- Solo trips downtown
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 No car, no friends, but need to go shopping? No choice but to hop on the 24x and aimlessly walk State Street by yourself. Once you get over the fear of being perceived as a loner by the high school and middle schoolers who are also out, it’s actually quite fun. I had a blast just listening to Lorde’s new album while walking in circles around Brandy Melville and Free People. I also decided to pick up an iced vanilla latte from Dune and it was actually quite a nice afternoon. To top it off, it was a beautiful bus ride back during golden hour.
- Getting on that Damn Wall
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Technically this one is cheating a little bit since I actually started rock climbing during spring quarter, but over the summer I have continued to consistently rock climb at the climbing gym in the RecCen. It is honestly one of the things I look forward to the most during the week and one of the best ways I stay active. Even when I don’t have the energy for a full workout session, I will opt to climb for a few hours instead. However, I will soon have to conquer climbing alone since my go-to climbing friend is leaving at the end of Session A. I have faith I can do it (I think).
Even though it was an adjustment at first, I have grown to love the peacefulness of an Isla Vista summer. It has made me realize that I do quite enjoy doing things on my own and moving to my own groove.Â