Summer break is what most students look forward to all year. This break is the time to relax from the stress of school. You can do many different activities throughout summer, whether it be going on a dream vacation or getting a job to earn money.

Many colleges and universities have summer programs for high school students. These programs are normally designed around specific topics and areas of study. They were created to allow students to get a better understanding of their areas of interest. Most colleges in Virginia offer them, from Virginia Tech to William and Mary. Depending on the program, you can also live on campus in the dorms to really get a feel for what college life is like.

Junior Wesley Rogers is attending one such program.  He said, “I will be attending the Inside Architecture and Design Program at Virginia Tech. The program involves exploring the techniques and materials that are used in architecture and design fields.”

Another junior, Campbell Scheuerman, will also be attending one, but at William and Mary.  She said, “I will be attending the William and Mary precollege American history program. It is essentially a semester intro history course for credit, condensed into 3 weeks of intense work and living on campus.” Both Wesley and Campbell will go with the rest of their varsity XC team to a running camp in Maine over the summer.

One of the most exciting aspects of summer break, for some people, is going on fun vacations. These vacations are the time for students to decompress and relieve the stress that school puts on them. It also allows for students to prepare for the upcoming year of school. One junior, Stefany Lopez, is going to Florida and Texas.  “This summer I will be going to two different states, the first will be Florida and it will be my first time going. I’m excited for the hot weather and the beach. Lastly I will go to Texas to visit my family that I haven’t seen in a long time. I will tour around Houston and visit the city malls,” she explained.

Whether it involves going to study your favorite subject or going on a beach vacation, summer break is the time to have fun and get away from the stress of school, so make sure you enjoy yourself!