Summer at SMU: A Changing Campus and Student Life

Written By: Kenneth Haggett

Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash

During the fall and winter semesters, Saint Mary’s University (SMU) campus is often hustling and bustling. An influx of new and returning students, ongoing events from societies, and a plethora of workshops and classes keep the university a busy space. Welcome week activities at the beginning of the term particularly make campus crowded, with the quad full of students looking to familiarize themselves with the campus culture. However, with many students finishing classes for the summer break, SMU’s campus has a different atmosphere.

Many of the campus’ regular events wind down, societies are less active, and hours of operation for dining and recreation are scaled back for the spring and summer break. Some dining services are closed entirely, including the Sandwich Shack, the Student Centre cafeteria, and the Food Room’s weekly breakfast program. With reduced hours, closed services, and a lack of students, campus seems less lively and much more quiet.

However, the campus isn’t entirely desolate. For the spring semester, Saint Mary’s University Student Association (SMUSA) has held a variety of events for welcome week, such as a welcome session, a lunch and learn, a board game night, and more! A number of creative, wellness, and spiritual events regularly occur, including a drawing session hosted by the SMU Croquis society,  a “wellness retreat,” and weekly faith-based gatherings. Moreover, with spring and summer comes increased outdoor sports, making the Huskies Stadium far more populated by soccer and football players, alongside other extracurricular events (see SMUfit’s Facility Schedule). While campus activities wind down, student life doesn’t stop but changes pace and form.

Summer as an Undergraduate Student

For many young undergraduates, the summer is a period of rest from the laborious, course-intensive fall and winter terms. Those attending university outside of their hometown may return to their home province/country to live with family, or to find work in a familiar environment. Others choose to remain in the city for various reasons, such as a sense of belonging in new social circles or promising career prospects. In terms of the latter, students might find either full-time or part-time work, or even internships, depending on their area of study (e.g., internships in environmental studies, working with local environmental organizations). 

Throughout my time as an undergraduate, my summers typically consisted of full-time work. Overwhelmed with the abundance of essays, tests, and readings over the fall and winter terms, I felt the need to take a step back from the rigorous academic labor to make some extra money (and, of course, enjoy the summer weather). 

In my later undergrad years, my eagerness to complete my degree led me to take summer courses. This is often the case for senior undergraduate students, who aim to power through their degree to advance to the next stage in their careers. While graduate students also have the opportunity to do summer courses, most graduate programs are structured a little differently.

Summer as a Graduate Student

In contrast to most undergraduate students, those of us enrolled in graduate studies continue with our studies over the summer. Coursework is often completed throughout the fall and winter semesters, with the spring and summer semesters dedicated to conducting research. Such is the case for myself, a graduate student in Women & Gender Studies. Though my coursework is completed, I will spend the spring and summer semesters developing my auto-ethnographic research project, a self-study on dance and gender identity. 

For other graduate students, thesis projects might involve more explicit data collection with participants, such as interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, or ethnographic fieldwork. Some of these methods, namely ethnography, require the researcher to be situated in the particular space and context of their research, giving graduate students the opportunity to travel for research purposes. Graduate students may also consider travelling for conferences during this period, which offers opportunities for career development, networking, and leisure!

Photo by Alexandre Pellaes on Unsplash

For those of us who are not travelling, doing remote research projects, or research that does not require the use of labs or on-campus equipment, summer can feel somewhat isolating. In these cases, our cohorts and/or colleagues can provide mutual support and reduce loneliness throughout our research. The new graduate room in Loyola, for instance, offers a space where graduate students can meet with peers to discuss their research, stay on top of coursework, or simply hang out and connect.

Though much of grad students' attention is placed on our research, there are many of us who juggle this with paid work and caregiving responsibilities year-round. In many ways, graduate programs aren't so different during the spring and summer from the fall and winter upon completing course requirements. Instead, it becomes an extension of the work we are already doing, despite the changing campus environment.

Conclusion

Summer as a ‘SMUdent’ may feel quieter, yet this period opens space for students to further strengthen our skills and experience.Undergraduates might explore job opportunities, take courses, or return home, while graduates develop their research and continue building their careers. Whether we’re earning, learning, or somewhere in between, we each continue to carve our own path. SMU campus may slow down, but the work and learning continue—simply in different forms and at different paces.