During a time when students expect to hang out, travel, party, and get away from a working environment, more students than ever are not participating in such summer activities.
“I would love to spend my summer just having fun but I know there are not many jobs available, at the moment,” said Brandon Dugas, a freshman computer science major.
Because of the state of the economy and a lack of funds to purchase plane tickets, many students are not traveling home in order to work and ensure they can afford to stay in school. Though airline fare prices have decreased, it is too early to tell whether summer travels will pick up, experts say. The Bureau of Transportation statistics reported a 3.7 percent decrease in domestic fares last quarter.
Some alternative solutions to going home include working for housing, taking summer classes, interning, and getting summer jobs, as students have opted to make money instead of splurging on travel expenses.
The recession has many students seeking summer internships in order to compete better in a failing job market.
“I must get all the experience possible and build my resume up so I can give myself a fair chance at actually getting a job once I graduate,” Dugas said.
Parents and families are also not able to participate in usual summer activities that may include family vacations, in order to work and save enough money to keep their children in college.
“My initial plan, for the summer, was to organize a family vacation,” said Adrienne Youngblood, the mother of a Howard student. “But, the economy is so bad it doesn’t seem like the smart decision; especially if I plan on maintaining the funds to send my child to college.”
The current recession has not only had an impact on students and families, but academic contributors as well. Scholarship donors are cutting back the amount of scholarships they provide to students during the summer, or discontinuing their scholarship donations altogether.
“For years, my church donated 1,500 dollars in scholarship money to dozens of students every summer,” Youngblood said. “Because of the economy, we had to cut the scholarship money down to 500 dollars last summer. This summer, it is uncertain if we will be able to give a scholarship at all.”
Many students and their families are dissatisfied with the numerous sacrifices that will have to be made during their summer vacation; however, sacrificing a fun vacation for a more serious summer may prove to be beneficial.
“Now that I am in college, I realize that I have to take on more responsibilities,” Dugas said.
“Even though the recession is making me spend my free time in a more serious fashion, I feel the decisions I will be making, this summer, will surely benefit me in the future.”
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