If you own a Dragon Card, then you probably know that the school that you go to requires you to toil in the scorching heat every summer after your gracious freshman year. All upperclassmen either grind through their classes or acquire hands-on exposure to the industry at their co-ops.
“What is it like being in school during summer?” – Hold on, that is what I am here to answer. As someone who has now experienced two consecutive summers at Drexel, I could lend some observations for you to ponder..
Silent. Deserted. Shadows of trees stretch lazily through the good old Lancaster walk, in the relentless heat of the midday sun.
According to The Inquirer, Philadelphia experienced the fourth-warmest June to date this year. Drexel’s campus was sweltering as the City of Philadelphia declared a heat health emergency. In this searing heat, the campus felt paused, awaiting cooler days and the return of its vibrant, bustling life. The University campus is usually very lively right before and after the summer break, i.e. during the spring and fall. The fact that there are only a handful of students populating the campus in these three months, creates an eerie air of emptiness. Additionally, only a few student organizations hold events during the summer, like Dragon Jedi and Engineers Without Borders, which continue to conduct events for the students still on campus. I really wish all student organizations stayed involved during the summer because of the numerous social enrichment opportunities for those still on campus.
Drexel affiliated organizations, like the Student Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Drexel University Counseling Center, continued to function and hosted events to rejuvenate in the blazing summer heat. The DUCC set up mocktails at the Daskalakis Athletic Center a few times to keep busy students hydrated on the go.
Outside of the college campus, there were indeed fun things to do throughout the city. The Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, for example, is a rain-or-shine event that began on June 20, 2024 and is running until August 18, 2024. You still have a few days to check out the authentic food and festivities of the season at the Franklin Square for some fun and frolic as the summer nears its end for this year.
The three months of summer, even in the same city and college campus, can feel different for everyone. Some went through summer seasonal depression; others had the most worthwhile Pinterest-approved beach days. Some of us also had our perfect ‘brat’ summer, while buying overpriced lattes to beat the heat. If you’re like me, you were mostly doing your college coursework and looking for co-op jobs for the fall, as days blended into each other and you lost sense of time. It is not as boring as it sounds – reading by the Schuylkill riverbank in a sundress can feel quite relaxing to escape the chaos and commotion.
As summer at Drexel winds down, it is safe to say that these hot months offer a whole new experience on campus. Whether you were knee-deep in assignments, hunting for the perfect co-op or soaking up Philly’s awesome culture, summer here is anything but boring. Yeah, the heat was brutal, but it also gave us a chance to slow down and appreciate the quieter side of college life. I consider this the quiet and reflective period, which precedes the fresh start that lies with the beginning of fall in the form of the new academic year.