Summer break is the time of the year that many students look forward to. The break gives students ample free time to enjoy the warm weather, spend time with friends, work, and pursue endless opportunities thrown their way. How did fellow Concordians recharge this summer and prepare for another great year?
Brooke Sengbusch, a junior special education major, participated in a study abroad trip to San Jose, Costa Rica for six weeks over the summer.
“I got to stay with a host family, attend a photography class, and explore the country. My experience was memorable because of the people I met and the things I did. I did many activities such as ziplining, dancing, hiking, horseback riding, making chocolate, going on boat rides and so much more. I saw cool animals like sloths and monkeys and really was able to embrace myself in a country like never before,” says Sengbusch.
Sengbusch found that the experience gave her new perspectives and allowed her to grow as a person, leaving her recharged and ready for a new year.
Hannah Kastens, a senior majoring in speech-language pathology, said: “The highlight of my summer was going to my friend’s cabin in the Wisconsin Dells… all my friends were there and we got to spend three days with each other just hanging out on the lake.”
Kastens also mentioned that she was taking many classes over the summer and did not come back to school feeling very relaxed.
Grace Velzke, a junior mass communication major, said the highlight of her summer was going to The Eras Tour in Minneapolis.
“I love concerts and I love Taylor Swift’s music, so it was so cool to see her live. It was such a great show, plus I got to go with my family (who like Taylor Swift too) so it was a really awesome experience,” said Velzke.
Another lucky attendee of The Eras Tour was Hanah Conger, a senior mass communication major. Conger attended the Chicago Night One show and said she got two of her favorite songs for the surprise songs.
Conger described the concert experience as “like none I’ve ever been to before… it was 3 hours of all of my favorite songs.”
Emma Druckmiller, another senior mass communication major, was able to travel to Pennsylvania to see her brother whom she hasn’t seen in almost a year.
“It was so memorable because I hadn’t seen him in so long. He also just moved out of Pennsylvania, so it was probably one of the last times I’ll be in that area for a while, so I was soaking it all up,” said Druckmiller.
William Sommers, junior mass communication major and sports media minor, said the highlight of his summer was “traveling to Georgia for my internship with Prep Baseball Report. This experience was so memorable because there were 300+ college coaches there for the event which was super cool to see.”
Sommers said the internship left him with a “newfound love for journalism and everything mass communication,” leaving him excited to return to CUW for the fall semester.
Students spend summer break doing all kinds of different activities to fill their time. Many students are able to find a balance between fun and work by participating in things like study abroad, trips with friends, and entertaining activities. Many students finish the break looking forward to the return to campus for the fall semester after a busy summer.
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—Serena Said is a writer and blog manager for The Beacon. She is a junior pursing a degree in Mass Communication as well as Visual Communications.