Any way you look at it, summer is a pretty phenomenal time of the year. The weather is warmer, it stays light outside later and we New Englanders can ditch our heavy winter coats for some lighter attire. When you think back on your childhood summer vacations, memories of swimming, watching fireworks and maybe taking sports lessons or going to camp might come to mind. Now that you’re older, even though summertime probably still has an exciting connotation to it, chances are it’s not as carefree as it once was.
More likely than not, days of your summer months are consumed by working, taking classes or doing an internship instead of just chilling out for three months straight. But guess what? At this point in your life, that’s how it should be. Summer is a great time to get ahead with credits or start a new job or internship that might help you forge a path toward your future career. It’s three months to make some extra money or plan for the school or work year ahead. However, the staff of The New Hampshire would like to remind you that it’s also a great time to take a break and treat yourself to some hard-earned leisure time.
Whether it’s through camping, hiking, traveling, going to an amusement park or maybe even just reading a book you’ve had your eye on, we want to encourage our readers to get active and have some fun during summer 2016. You’ll never be this young again; don’t spend all of your days off sitting inside watching Netflix.
If you’re living in the Durham area and unsure of where to go or what to do over the course of the next few months, this issue is chock-full of suggestions you can try. If you’re in the mood for some outdoor adventures, luckily New Hampshire is one of the most beautiful places in the country to explore nature. Take advantage of it.
For swimming suggestions, check out Colleen Irvine’s picks for the best swimming spots around the UNH campus on page 15. If you don’t have a ton of cash to spend on your time off, you can read Alex LaRosa’s account of his day without spending money on page 14. Or, if you aren’t on a strict budget, you should try out some of Zerina Bajramovic’s Portsmouth picks for shopping and eating on page 2.
No matter what you do though, try to make good use of the time you have, Wildcats. You can watch T.V. or stare at your smartphone at any other time of the year, so seize the day, be safe and make us proud. We’ll see you in August for the freshman issue.
