While the cliché college summer involves house parties, beach weeks and raunchy music camps (thank you, American Pie), some students got off the couch and decided to do something amazing during the 12-week span.
UWIRE.com asked five of these overachievers to tell us where they went and what they learned in hopes the rest of us who earned a wicked tan can live vicariously through them.
Zach Klitzman
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Facing Spanish death-on-four-legs at 8 a.m.
Where: Spain
By: Zach Klitzman
The bull run is a short but dangerous event. For a half-mile, six bulls charge up the streets of the town, ready to gore anyone in their path. That’s right, I ran in an event that has seen 15 deaths since 1924. And by 8:05 am, and I had almost been killed. Read more.
Zena Cardman
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Cold is the new hot on an Arctic adventure
Where: Canadian high Arctic
By: Zena Cardman
It’s an ancient instinct shared by geese and retired couples: head south for the winter, north for the summer. And so, in the heat of July, I donned my long underwear, parka, enormous rubber boots and woolen hat and flew to the Arctic. Read more.
Jeffrey Ferman and the U. Michigan eam.
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Racing across the U.S. in a solar-powered car
Where: United States and Canada
By: Jeffrey Ferman
I spent my best summer ever with a team that rose above all challenges, that never took no for an answer and that came together to do something incredible. Being champions went far beyond wining the North American Solar Challenge by 10 hours; it was comprised of the hours and commitment that each member of the team dedicated to making the project a success. Read more.
Michael Blake
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Human suffering, xenophobic violence when studying in South Africa
Where: South Africa
By: Michael Blake
The trip was eventful from day one. Literally on our first day in South Africa, xenophobic violence erupted in the townships across the country. Black South Africans, upset that their economic situation has not improved since the establishment of democracy in 1994, channeled their frustration into violence against fellow black African refugees, most from Zimbabwe. As we watched the government and various NGOs frantically patch together relief programs for the targeted refugees, it was a clear reminder that we were not in the United States anymore. Violence and poverty are an everyday reality. Read more.
Jessica Turnbull, right
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My world shifted during my Cambodian internship
Where: Cambodia
By: Jessica Turnbull
For me, it’s not enough to just exist. That mantra is one of the main reasons that I decided to spend this summer completing a six-week internship offered by a Christian organization in Cambodia. Instead of lying on the beach or clearing tables in a restaurant, I hosted teams of Americans that came to teach English to Cambodian young people. I ate crickets, hiked ancient ruins and learned to speak Khmer. It was not a conventional internship, but that uniqueness made it my best summer ever. Read more.