Whatever your level of education is, everyone looks forward to summer. It means no school, hanging out with your friends, and having time to do things you normally don't during the school year. However, summers are completely different for college students than they are for high school students.
1. Summer is loonngg.
Summer for college students usually starts in the beginning to middle of May, which at least a month earlier than high schools get out. Colleges usually only start a couple weeks earlier than high schools at most in the fall, so this adds up to much longer summer than high school kids have.
2. Summer jobs are different.
Summer jobs in high school are usually minimum-wage jobs at fast food joints or retail stores, which don't offer much in preparing you for your future. While summer jobs for college students can be the same, they now usually get jobs that relate to their field or even internships without pay, but will help them prepare for their future career.
3. You have less friends at home.
Once everyone goes away to college, they lose touch with each other. You haven't talked to some friends who you spent all summer with in high school in a year, so you have less people to hang out with in your hometown.
4. Binge watching gets a whole new meaning.
Since you don't have a ton of people to do things with at home, plus you're tired from your long internship, what else are you supposed to do besides binge watch Netflix?
5. You might not live at home.
During high school summers, of course you lived at home with your family and friends who were all off for summer too. Now, you might get an internship or job where you stay in that city for the summer. This is great to be close to the job, and to help prepare you for being on your own when you graduate.
6. You can't wait to get back to school.
Unlike dreading the start of school like most high school kids, college students count down the days until they get to be back at their school. Although school means having to go to class and do work, it also means being reunited with your friends from all over the country and being free of some responsibilities.