Well, August is here and for the last 15 years I’ve regretted having to come back to school. The addiction to doing nothing every day for 12 weeks surpasses any desire to actually want to learn anything. In fact, August is possibly the most annoying month out of the year other than December. This article is just a collection of random rants and thoughts pertaining to the summer.

First, let’s start with television. I find it really annoying to continue to have to watch and listen to commercials stating ‘back to school sale.’ WE GET IT. Every year around this time you have that special sale for kids going back to school. You don’t have to advertise it as much, put the fliers in the local newspaper and call it a day. When every local and national store places ads on TV, it just gets out of hand. Give me a break, please, and let me watch Law and Order in peace.

Secondly, I liked staying in Champaign-Urbana over the summer. Something about the normally big community with few people in it make it a more relaxed and enjoyable experience. The bars have no cover, there is no line at the movie theatre or barbershop and best of all there is parking everywhere, a college student’s dream. Now, if only they could keep some of the restaurants open that would be great.

I’ve also been able to play lots of poker this summer, which has made the time fly by. I’ve received some e-mails about doing a poker column or writing more about it. I’ve had to deal with the fact that although many people are interested in the game, not very many are interested in learning about it. Also, everything I say would all just be regurgitations of what is written elsewhere. It is not like I’ve not studied up on how to play; I have read my fair share of books and online forums to do fairly well. Therefore, if you really want to learn how to play (and play well), then you have to study.

This summer in Champaign hasn’t been too uneventful. There was the stellar Fourth of July celebration, the opening of Starbucks (which I’ll never go to anyway) and me writing a column in the newspaper, which all are nice surprises. I’ve basically had open rights to talk about whatever I feel like, interesting or not. I’m also guessing the business curriculum has had its way with me and is very evident in my writing.

Having a business oriented mind isn’t that much of a bad thing. I’ll be back in the fall writing for the Daily Illini with a new ground-breaking business column. I’ll probably have a few additions and play around with a few things. I’ve been thinking about incorporating a stock pick of the week or TWIB (this week in business, I know, a sports rip-off). I’ve got a couple weeks to continue to think about it but you’ll get some good entertainment.

However, summer isn’t quite over yet. With a good three and a half weeks until school starts there is still plenty of things to accomplish. This weekend I’ll be traveling to the river-boats in Southern Indiana to play some poker and golf and relax and such. I’ll be moving out of Gabe’s Place Apartments in just under two weeks, thankfully; and it just can’t come any sooner either.

Then I’ll be at home for a week or so, seeing family and friends for the first time in a long while. I’ll probably throw in a few days of fishing and shopping and the time will go by fairly fast. Maybe the week at home will prepare me for school; however I’ll have a hard time leaving the home cooking (or lack thereof). I always do.

I hope everyone has a good last few weeks of summer and for those taking summer courses, good luck with finals.

Jeff Lipsey is a senior in business. He can be reached at [email protected].