Finals are over with and it's finally summer. That means three months of nothing but perfect weather, downtime, and enjoying the company of your friends and family... Or does it?
Some people are lucky enough to be going to the beach, but others might be stuck in the same town they've been in for months. Maybe it's for work, summer classes, or just the geographical location, but the point is this: You're stuck in your college town. (Don't worry, I'm getting to an upside here.)
As somebody who has spent two — going on three — summers in Morgantown, I can promise you that as much as it will suck seeing all of your friends living it up in some foreign location, it isn't that bad. In fact, my favorite thing about staying in Morgantown is simple: Silence.
In one of my previous articles, I talked about being a homebody, so maybe this is just my personal aesthetic. Regardless, Morgantown in the summer is fantastic. It's quieter. If you're not taking classes, you don't have to worry about the stress of going from building to building each day, but you can still pass by the beauty that is Woodburn. The partying scene dies down tremendously, but I'm sure you can still find somewhere to get rowdy on the weekends if you want. The grocery stores become more tolerable. Just the other day, I had to go to Walmart and the parking lot wasn't nearly as packed as it typically is.
Plus there are still all sorts of things to do in or near Morgantown! If you're into baseball, go to a couple of Black Bears games. Coopers Rock is beautiful to visit in the summer — plus there are a couple of different trails you can walk on. There's plenty of live music around the area, and if Morgantown just doesn't do it for you, it's not that far from Pittsburgh. Get a car full of your closest friends and head up to see a concert at Stage AE, watch the Pirates play, or just go up to check out the Strip District. You can do anything there from going to the museum to taking a Just Ducky Tour around the city.
So while being in your college town might not be the most glamorous thing to do for your three months of relaxation, don't get too upset about it. There's still lots of fun that you can get into — you just have to find it.