OUR VIEW: Do something f***ing awesome this summer

It’s bittersweet, the end of the semester. By bittersweet, we mean a totally awesome, spread-your-wings, go-on-a-bender type of feeling.

It’s great – and then we have to figure out what to do for four months until school begins again; for those returning to campus, anyway. We’re not saying it’s a burden to have a large amount of free time during the warmest months of the year, of course not. No, no, no: We’re just saying the options are endless.

Go on a study abroad trip to Western Europe. Tour Spain, France, Denmark, Greece, Italy – you name it. Don’t forget to visit Amsterdam. Take a long vacation in India and learn the ancient lifestyle of the Hindu. Peace, love and harmony, man. Play some rad tunes on steel drums and dread your hair in Jamaica.

Perhaps your budget doesn’t allow for those sort of luxuries. So you need to work? Big deal – most of us do. Make some money for next semester. Get a job flipping burgers, waiting tables, painting houses or whatever. But no matter what, don’t forget to leave enough play time.

If you’re in the valley, make it a priority to do a few things, if you haven’t already: Rent a cabin in Maple Grove Hot Springs in Idaho and float the Oneida Narrows the next day; drive out to Porcupine Dam with friends, food and a whole lot of courage – the best part is jumping off the cliff into the reservoir; hike to the Jardine Juniper in Logan Canyon and visit one of the oldest trees around; float Cutler Canal – uh … legally of course; grab some climbing gear and navigate the world-renowned limestone walls of Logan Canyon; take a day trip to Bear Lake during Raspberry Days; spend a day at Bloomington Lake and ride the rope swing from the top; take a bike ride to the nearest park and picnic with your friends; read a book on Old Main Hill; brave the campus cops and wade in the TSC Patio fountain; and last but not least, barbeque until your pants fall off – but only if you’re sober.

If you happen to be taking courses here, make the best of it and get an A – Hell, try to get 100 percent in the class. Make new friends. Go to school barefoot.

What we’re really trying to say is have a great summer. We don’t mean the end-of-high-school-yearbook-HAGS-don’t-ever-change sort of way, but hey, if you want to change, go for it. Work to better yourself and your attitude – there’s always room for improvement, right?

Use the summer to have the best four months of your life on all your grand adventures. Have a good attitude. You won’t regret the outcome.

Basically, just have a kick-ass summer.