Fun Things to Do in the Summer for College Students in Tallahassee

Tallahassee, Florida: home of Florida State University and Florida A&M University. This city has well deservingly been granted the nickname “a drinkin’ town with a football problem.” So shouldn’t this southern town, the capital of the Sunshine State, be a great place for a college student to spend their summer? Well, most who have experienced Tallahassee in the summer would probably scream… NO! Not only are most of the college bars lacking in the “entertainment factor” due to the decrease of about 75% percent of their patronage (who all chose to go home for the summer), but with summer also comes the abundance of the… high school students. These vicious little creatures insist on doing that one thing that makes an already terrible summer even worse… they steal all of our jobs! The job market in Tallahassee is almost always running on the scarce side but with high school students suddenly in the mix vying for the coveted “summer job,” college students are forced to live on an even tighter budget. So what is a bored, sick-of-summer-classes, stripped-for-cash, missing-the-beach college student supposed to do in order to make this summer not such a complete drag? The following is are some suggestions of cheap summer activities in Tallahassee from yours truly (who is living at this very moment the unfortunate ordeal described above):

1. A Day At the Park:
Whether a picnic at Lake Ella with the girls or a pick up game of ultimate frisbee at Tom Brown Park with the guys, an afternoon outside in the heat having some fun may be just the thing to make you forget about class for a while. Can’t take the heat? Grab a white sheet and a projector and set up your own little “movie in the park” evening. Invite a few friends and make sure everyone has a blanket to sit on (and a special someone to cuddle with.) Just remember, you may have to get permission from park authorities to be in the park after sundown.

2. Go to The Rez:
If you’re an FSU student who is missing the beach (the closest beach is about 2 hours away from Tallahassee if you haven’t figured that out yet), then the FSU Reservation might be just the place for you. Known to students as “The Rez,” this lakefront beach is the perfect place to lay in the sand and bask in the sun… if you close your eyes you might even forget that your not laying out on Panama City Beach with the rest of your friends. You can even take advantage of free-small fee canoeing and kayaking on the lake for an extra change of pace.

3. Mark Your Territory:
Really wanting that summer tan to stick this year? Grab a few friends, pick a random apartment complex and claim the pool as your own for the summer. The atmosphere at these pools is always fun and there are always other students laying out trying to do the same thing you are… forget about class. You and your crew should make a schedule of when you will definitely be at the pool so you will make sure to get that summer glow that will make you look like you spent your summer on some Carribbean Island.

Whether you’re pining away for the beach or just in need of a summertime pick-me-up, these ideas should help you get your mind off of the downer of taking summer classes and give you some fun that just might make this summer a memorable one. Who came up with Summer Session anyways???