“There are definitely a lot fewer people on campus, and I think the classes are a lot more laid-back,” the interdisciplinary studies in social science junior said.

Although the city might seem dead in the summer with fewer students enrolled in classes and living in East Lansing, Somers said the calmer atmosphere is welcomed.

But once students return to MSU for summer courses, campus will begin to come back to life, and she will try to make more friends in her classes and even attend a few East Lansing events, in hopes of finding ways to enjoy the freedom summer brings to those still on campus.

School’s in for summer
Although it might seem scary at first to take classes that are about three hours long and sometimes meet more frequently, summer courses at MSU are enjoyable and have a different vibe, which partly is due to fewer students on campus, Somers said.

Each semester in the fall and spring, between about 45,000 and 48,000 students were enrolled in MSU courses in the 2011-12 academic year. But in summer 2011, only about 23,000 students were taking courses through MSU, according to the Office of the Registrar.

Nicole Rovig, a university registrar, said the numbers are not expected to vary much between summer 2011 and summer 2012.

The biggest difference with summer classes is that students have more flexibility in the length of courses, with more than 300 subterms offered in the summer, she said, and the length of the course determines the pace.

Courses that are offered over a shorter time span might meet more frequently and be more rigourous during class, Rovig said.

For some students, that works well because they can focus on one course over a short period of time, as opposed to balancing several courses over an entire semester, she said.

“For others, the condensed need of the course can be more challenging — it really depends on each student’s learning style,” she said.

But Somers, who took courses last summer, said professors had a more laid-back attitude, and some even hosted sessions outside.

Paula Storrer, assistant professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing, said her classes on creative media are fast-paced and just as demanding in the summer as throughout regular semesters.

“To be successful in my course in the summer is no different than during the year,” she said in an email. “Students need to be committed to the creative path and willing to put in the time and work necessary for the creative field.”

One of the benefits of the summer for her students is that they are not taking as many other courses and have time to dedicate to her class, she said.

“I don’t see any difference in students’ commitment,” she said. “Everyone works hard, even in the summer.”

Spanning the globe
Although fewer students are expected to be taking courses this summer on campus than during the fall and spring semesters, the Office of Study Abroad expects more students to be enrolled in study abroad programs over the next three months.

As of Friday afternoon, the Office of Study Abroad reported 1,877 students studying abroad this summer in 171 different programs located in 49 countries. But participation numbers will fluctuate for the next several weeks until all summer programs have departed.

This is an increase from the 2011-12 fall and spring semesters, when a total of 329 students studied abroad.

Laura Blanton, peer adviser for the Office of Study Abroad and interdisciplinary humanities and Spanish senior, has studied abroad the past two summers, traveling to Argentina and Spain.

She said she imagines that, like herself, more people study abroad in the summer because they don’t want to interrupt their normal schedule on campus.

“I didn’t want to miss football games with my friends or miss things in the spring,” she said. “Summer felt like the best option.”

But it isn’t just MSU students who take advantage of the summer break to explore other countries through study abroad; some professors from other colleges, such as Tom Issacson from Marquette University, have adjunct positions with the office and lead trips in the summer. Isaacson directs a program called Advertising and Public Relations a la Mediterranean, which is held in Italy and France.

“(Through working with MSU in the summer), I get content I can use in the classroom throughout the year, and I get the opportunity to connect that to research I do throughout the year,” he said.

Not quite business as usual
Blanton, who stayed on campus this summer to work, said she has noticed restaurants on Grand River Avenue are not as busy in the summer, and she likes the relaxed environment.

But some East Lansing businesses said although there are fewer students in the city, business remains steady throughout the summer with warm weather, more festivals and conferences bringing in visitors from outside of the city.

Curious Book Shop, 307 E. Grand River Ave., owner Ray Walsh said he hopes to have a busy summer, and summers in the past have not been slow, as many people visiting for festivals will come in to buy a book to read while manning their booths.

He also attributes the potentially busy season to the closure of Barnes & Noble earlier this year.

But Menna’s Joint, 115 Albert Ave., which predominantly serves students, might see a decrease in the volume of customers, shift manager Corey Clark said.

Erik Skusa, the manager of The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave., said because the restaurant has a patio and extra seating, it is able to accommodate more business in the summer, and businessmen, alumni, older students, MSU employees and parents dropping their children off at camp make up its summer clientele.

“We lose students like everyone else,” Skusa said. “(But) every town — even a student town — has to have plumbers and carpenters.”

As for Somers, she said she expects to visit Grand River Avenue more this summer because the weather will be nicer.

“When the weather is nice (for) walking up and down the strip, maybe I will pop into one of those little shops if they’re having a sale,” Somers said.

“Everything is less busy in the summer, but it’s nice like that.”