When the majority of students leave Charlottesville for the summer, Grounds can seem pretty inactive. So why do some students choose to stick around for the summer? Here is a list of the top five activities students become involved in when staying on Grounds for the summer.
Take Summer Classes
The majority of students who decide to stay in Charlottesville for the summer enroll in summer classes. Summer classes are great opportunity for students to get ahead if they are considering double majoring, graduating early, or are on a pre-professional track (pre-med, pre-law, etc). Summer classes intense and fast paced as four months of material are condensed into one month. There are three five week summer sessions, each offering a different set of classes. Students typically take two classes per session and Financial aid, housing and a meal plan are available!
Volunteer through Madison House
Madson House manages all UVA sponsored volunteer activities. Most volunteer programs occur in the fall and spring, but a few continue on into the summer, including the one that I am currently involved in which is an afterschool program designed to help immigrant children improve their English and math skills. Other summer Madison House activities include volunteering at the Charlottesville senior center, assisting physical therapy patience with watersports, maintaining the grounds of an animal shelter, and tons of other cool volunteer activities!
Do Research or Work
Some students combine class summer classes with research or jobs opportunities. Many professors tend to stay in Charlottesville in order to focus more time towards their research, and more than happy recieve student help! If a student is interested in getting involved in summer research, he or she can email a professor personally or contact the Office of Undergraduate Research. In addition to research opportunities jobs are also available at most UVA facilities including the Rotunda, the libraries and gyms.
Play an Intramural Sport
The Department of Intramural Recreation Sports has plenty of recreational activities for students during the summer. Three out of four gyms (including two pools) remain open and they are free to use to all students who are enrolled in summer classes (there is $85 fee for students not taking summer classes). There are also summer kickball, softball, and beach volleyball intramural leagues. Interested in learning a new sport? IM Sports also has swimming, tennis, weightlifting and self defense courses.
Attend a Fridays after Five Concert
From April to September, the Charlottesville Downtown Mall has free music concerts at the Sprint Pavilion every Friday starting at five. This is a great opportunity to spend time with friends, interact with residence from the Charlottesville community, and try out new restaurants. When taking the free trolley, the commute from the Rotunda to the Downtown Mall is about 15 minutes, making it easy for students to attend Fridays After Five.
Although Charlottesville can seem pretty quiet during the summer, you can still find plenty of activities to occupy your free time, making a summer in Charlottesville worthwhile!
-Josh
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