With the conclusion of the 2023 spring semester, the majority of students have vacated College Station for internships, vacation destinations or family time. I’d like to stress the first sentence’s keyword: majority. Some students will continue spending time in College Station this summer for many reasons. If you fall into this small pool of students and you’re stressing about a lack of things to do or moments to post on social media, have no fear. I have compiled a list of several activities you can do to make the dog days of summer almost as fun as your friend’s vacation in Cancun — perhaps.
Catch some rays or fish in Aggie Park
Robert Earl Keen kicked off the grand opening of Aggie Park with a concert on Sept. 2 last year, the day before the first football game of the season. Since then, the park has hosted numerous events and traditions, such as Legacy Night and The Big Event. These events catered to thousands of current and former students.
Now that the city is a ghost town, you can enjoy the park and all of its features in peace. Lay on the grass and soak up the sun with a good book in your lap or a speaker playing some tunes. Take your tackle box to the lake and test your skill in catching a bass. You don’t have to unplug either — thanks to numerous outlets spread across the park and Wi-Fi experiencing little traffic for the first time in months. Pay homage this summer to the many donors who funded the 36-million-dollar project for Aggies to enjoy 365 days a year.
Rate and review every [blank] in College Station or Find new favorites
Everyone has their favorites in College Station. We are creatures of habit. We discover what we like and rarely stray away from our prized possession. Yes, a hot candlelight hits the spot at Harvest Coffee Bar, but other coffee shops are calling your name this summer.
This is the time to try new things. Have you visited every single coffee shop, or did you not know Harvest opened a third location? Have you tried every bar on Northgate, or does the bouncer not even check your ID at El Jefe anymore? Have you visited every restaurant in downtown Bryan, or do you have a signature spot you repeatedly introduce to friends? There is no better time to find new favorites than when there are fewer people in town. You’ll have new places to take your friends who left for summer once school starts back up.
One last ride
If you have not heard the rumor, there is word going around that Texas A&M is ridding itself of the classic rideshare scooter, Veo. It is a sad, sad thing. A hard goodbye that we don’t know when will take place. You summer dwellers have a great advantage over those not in town. You may take a Veo for a spin before they’re gone forever.
In my opinion, every current student must ride a Veo at least once. It’s electric — literally. Zooming around campus, gaining speed down the tunnel under Wellborn and pushing sharp turns make for an exhilarating ride. If this doesn’t provide you with enough adrenaline to satisfy you, there is another activity current students have taken part in. There’s no better way to put the scheme than this: students compete to park a Veo in a place that isn’t a bike rack. Some have gone as far as to place a Veo on top of the Academic building, hang a Veo from the Zachry Engineering building and even put one on top of Kyle Field.
Camp out for the home opener
People camp out to better their chances of beating the line and getting the most optimal seats to stand in front of for the entire game. Last year, one large group got the edge over many people for last year’s first Aggie football game. Impact Camp combined sessions and pulled 653 tickets at the very front of the ticket pull line. They had a vision, planned accordingly and made it happen. They wanted a whole section for their camp and earned it. The only way to ensure that your group gets good seats is to get in line for ticket pull before everybody else.
It is never too early folks. For the Alabama game, people camped out over the weekend in tents and slept on air mattresses over 24 hours ahead of ticket pull. You can guarantee the first spot in line by camping out right now. Seriously, go right now and you’ll be standing in the first row, first deck, right smack on the 50-yard line in only 95 days.
Final Thoughts
If you are still here in College Station, you’re likely working a job or taking summer classes. By all means, put your energy into these important things first. If there is anything that ties in importance to either of these, that thing doesn’t fall on this list. That thing is instead your mental health. The most important thing is to take care of yourself in preparation for a successful fall semester and hopefully equally successful football season. Have a great summer, Ags.
