OUR VIEW: Summer school had us a blast

There are several reasons summer semester classes at USU are a good idea. Recently, a mass email was sent to USU’s student body describing the many advantages to sticking around in Cache Valley during the summer months. For those students who’ve actually done this, you understand why this decision is a no-brainer.

As with most of Utah, Cache Valley is a hotbed of outdoors activities, and aside from skiing and snowboarding in the winter — which, let’s face it, this year hasn’t exactly been the bees knees — most of the beauty in this corner of northern Utah is best enjoyed after fall and winter semester classes are no longer in session.

Throughout the winter, when it does snow, Logan Canyon tends to be nothing more than one icy, snow-filled hazard after another. If you can make it to Beaver Mountain, the rest of the trip is likely just a blizzard of a blur — all white with nothing too memorable. Try driving through Logan Canyon in July. First of all, temperatures in the valley can sore to the high 90s — even though the average is 80 degrees. At Tony Grove and White Pine Lake, temperatures are an inviting 65 F.

Photography, hiking, birding, mountain biking, wildflower and outdoors enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels will be able to fill an entire summer with days and days of endless site-seeing and relaxation. There’s nothing better than a Logan summer. The sun stays out some days until 10 p.m., which gives those of us who like to play long and hard a lot more time to enjoy our outdoor playground. It’s a lot different from those winter days when we have a class until 4 p.m., and when we get out it’s already pitch dark.

Of course, the university will inform us that tuition is offered at in-state prices for all students, regardless of where they live, which means if you do stay here year-round, you’ll eventually end up becoming a resident anyway. They’ll also give you incentives, such as cheaper housing, smaller class sizes and fewer crowds on campus — meaning more attention per student from instructors — and four-day class schedules. All of this is true, and great.

The best part of being here in Logan in the summer is the sheer beauty of the northern Utah surroundings, from the Wind Caves to Crimson Trail, from Bear Lake to the China Wall and the majestic Wellsville Mountains. But it couldn’t hurt to knock out 6-12 credits while you’re at it.