Columbia, South Carolina, is truly a magical place. As the heart of the southern part of the Carolina's and home to the capital, it's residents very much love where they live.

When spring turns to summer and the sun is at its hottest, most of the student population says "Au Revoir!" to this town, but some of us choose to stay behind.

One of those reasons is to continue trucking through our degrees.

From the beginning of schooling, we are taught that the season of summer means a break from school. June and July are full of sun, adventures, sleeping in and most importantly, no school!

When in college, though, you begin to think more on the professional "I need to get my life in order" side as opposed to "Let's see if I can sleep till two in the afternoon today."

As most USC students know, fall and spring semesters consist of no parking, a lot of traffic and hard getting into classes you need at the time you need them.

If you have ever resided in the city of dreams over the summer, yeah, it's HOT, but it also lets you take in our beautiful city stress-free.

More specifically, the benefits of actually enrolling in classes are great as well. You can get ahead of your course load. You can help yourself to stay on the normal four-year track or get out a little early if you wish. Taking extra classes in between the normal semesters can help you to take a lighter load of classes later on, and the list goes on and on.

There are also fun things in Columbia to do as well! That is after you study, of course.

Baseball

If you have not been to a Fireflies game yet, you are definitely missing out! Their reasonably priced tickets make for a fun trip with the girls or a first date. From traditional "take me out to the ball field" hotdogs and cracker jacks, to their new cricketsnacks, there are a lot of options food wise. Not to mention, River Rat Brewery crafted a special beer just for the ball pack called "Luminescence."

Emily Correll

Congaree River

Our lovely local river makes for awesome summer adventures. The many river outlets gives you options to relax, sunbathe, swim, float and whatever else your heart desires. You can even head over to PalmettoOutdoor.com to rent a kayak and get some exercise.

Food, Food And More FOOD

I know one of my favorite pastimes is consuming anything in my path. There are so many yummy places to dine in Columbia and in the summertime, they aren't as crowded. Forget waiting an hour to get some oysters at Pearlz or waiting 45 minutes to get the three-roll special at Tsunami! Get your grub on and ENJOY the outdoor seating of Hickory Tavern, Good Life Café, Hunter Gatherer and so much more. Nothing beats a dipped cone at Rosewood Dairy Bar, either. YUM!

Emily Correll

Bar Scene

On any given Saturday night, trying to walk around Five Points (especially sober) is quite the task. Your favorite spot might have a line out the door or you might step in puke on your way in. But in the summertime, it is so much easier to navigate this block of fun. The dogs are always playing at Jakes, Salty Nut's porch is warm and welcoming and Publico's windows are wide open.

Overall, Cola Town is definitely an A+. If you can handle the heat, venture to our pretty city and have some fun! You won't regret it.