When school gets out in June, summer starts ... but what about picking school right back up again?

Summer school has been always been seen as a dreaded ordeal, stereotypically reserved for those who didn't pass a class the previous school year. With all of these assumptions, it seems that only the craziest of people would voluntarily subject themselves to classes while everyone else is out on vacations. But that's just what I've been doing that past few summers, not because I failed any classes or wanted a better grade, but to get ahead and free up room in my schedule for the following school year.

Right now, I'm taking gym during the summer, which means waking up every weekday at 7 a.m. to be running laps by 7:45 a.m. To be able to motivate myself to follow that schedule for five weeks of my summer, you'd think that I'd have to enjoy physical activity and actually want to be there, but it's actually the complete opposite. By taking it over the summer, I get to skip doing the swimming unit and coming to classes sweaty during the school year, and I'm then able to take electives that I otherwise wouldn't have had room for.

In my opinion, the benefits of summer school outweigh the costs. Having to wake up earlier than I normally do really isn't too bad, since it means that I can get my day started earlier. Additionally, gym during the summer means that the weather is almost always guaranteed to be nice, so more options for activities are available than if the class happened to be during the winter. Having at least a little bit of responsibility and scheduled commitments helps keep boredom at bay as well, and prevents my sleep schedule from getting turned around beyond repair by the time the school year starts back up again too.

Because I use the space I saved in my schedule to take other classes, rather than just a study hall, I'm also able to earn more credits than other students who don't participate in summer classes, which would make it easier to graduate early if I was planning on doing so. All in all, I think the stigma of summer school is largely inaccurate, and voluntarily choosing to take classes over the summer doesn't make them stupid. Rather, it demonstrates a drive in a student that might not be presented during the school year, as it's not necessary at all, and will benefit that student with hard work and determination.