Rushing, rushing, rushing. Turn in term paper, turn in another term paper, pick up that last piece of extra credit. Studying, studying, studying. Final one, final two, final three, final four. Walk out that final door … Summer.

As the exhaustion and insanity of spring semester comes to a close, a new chapter begins for everyone — especially the students staying in Columbia for the summer.

For most freshmen staying in CoMo, dorm life is over and feelings of free adult life abound. However, there often lurks a common misconception that this new life includes forcibly “sweating out” the humid-as-all-hell Missouri summer alone in Columbia, the most boring town in the world. But this isn’t necessarily correct. To start, for all those West Coasters like myself, the humidity thing is a little rough, but just like the subfreezing temperatures, you will get used to it.

Last summer, I stayed in Columbia to meet requirements for Missouri residency. I guess the residency office sees spending a summer in the Midwestern weather as reasonable hazing for in-state tuition. (Just kidding residency office, ILY.)

Spending the summer in Missouri was definitely the most daunting part of gaining residency. I’m from northern California, where summers are temperate, and humidity and summer storms are relatively nonexistent. On top of the climate change, all of my friends from home spent last summer in California after returning from their respective universities. And I was 1,919 miles away.

Aside from missing my friends and family, though, staying the summer in Columbia really wasn’t that bad. In fact, I am choosing to stay again this summer.

Last summer, I worked a lot and took classes. Staying busy was, in my opinion, the best way to tackle my first summer away from home. Most of the time, I didn’t have time to get homesick or lonely.

I was also really surprised by the number of people who stayed for the summer. Things were definitely quieter, but it was really refreshing to be able to walk through campus without having to weave around masses of people on the sidewalk.

It sounds trivial, but one of the best parts about being in Columbia for the summer term was the lack of table swooping. So you want to sit in Memorial? Congratulations, you have a table. See that Student Center booth? Yeah, it’s yours. It’s inexplicably satisfying to be able to sit wherever you want.

Downtown also changes, but it doesn’t die. I’ve actually heard people say they like nightlife in downtown Columbia more in the summer because the bars and restaurants are less crowded.

Last summer was when I really got to know Columbia. I took the time to walk into smaller shops and try new restaurants. Living off campus gave me an opportunity to start learning about different parts of the city. I started to feel more like a real person living in the city of Columbia, instead of just a college student mooching off the city’s resources.

If you’re staying here over the summer, don’t fret. You won’t be bored unless you make an effort to be bored. Take advantage of the lack of crowds downtown and explore the city you live in. Columbia has a lot of hidden treasures, from awesome shopping to beautiful hiking.

The overall population decreases, but more people stick around than you think. Get to know these people. One of my favorite memories from last summer was the day my friend and I drove down to Osage Beach, not totally knowing where we were going, to walk around the outlet mall and sit by the lake.

(And side note? The in-state tuition is so worth it. So, _so_ worth it. Like seriously. Do it.)

Summer is a time for rejuvenation. Give yourself that time. If you are staying to earn residency and get homesick, remember that you have two whole weeks to be home — or just away from Columbia. Skype is also a wonderful thing.

The beauty of Columbia is that your summer can be whatever you make it. It sounds corny, but hey, just trust me.