Summer vacation- – ideally every student’s time to catch up on being a couch potato, to wake up late and go to sleep even later. In fact, Alice Cooper’s song, “School’s Out for Summer” is arguably the anthem come each June.

For some University students, however, the summer is an extension of the ending school year with summer classes starting soon and living in Urbana-Champaign year-round.

For those who stay in Urbana-Champaign for the summer months, all is not lost.

Believe it or not, Urbana-Champaign streets are filled with activities, just waiting for students to enjoy.

Before resorting to landscaping, landing a job as a garbage man or a baby-sitter for a few bucks a night, let’s cover the in-house opportunities offered through the University. Dr. Gail Rooney, director of the University Career Center, said that there are plenty of opportunities for students to have great leadership jobs during the summer.

“There are many jobs and internships that are available to students over the summer,” Rooney said.

“We have full-time for those just living here and part-time for those students with classes,” she said.

While some students believe the summer is a great time to earn credit hours, others said summer is a time for working to earn money, or completing an internship to gain some professional experience.

In addition to employment opportunities at private businesses and at The Career Center, the University also offers jobs from childcare to dining service, which operates in some campus residence halls during summer.

For the more athletically inspired, there’s also CRCE and IMPE.

For students who would like to get away from University life and still have a summer job, the local park district might be a great place to look.

The Champaign Park District, located at 706 Kenwood Rd., offers a variety of positions that are likely to keep a student’s mind off of long classes with a few hours of volunteering.

Other things to do include the Taste of C-U on June 22-24. During the three-day festival, the community showcases local cuisine, entertainment and crafts.

Along with the Taste there is also the Strawberry Jam on June 16. A family event, the jam is conducted by the Anita Purves Nature Center in Urbana and is an annual activity with all the strawberries and banana ice you can eat.

“It’s great for everyone and I can’t think of a better way to begin the summer,” Environment Education Coodinator Nadine Schmitz said.

“Its a great time in the middle of Meadowbrook Park with great music,” she said.

Summer also brings the Farmers Market, at the corner of Illinois and Vine Streets in Urbana. Steve Disanto, a graduate student who lived in Urbana-Champaign last summer, said the event happens on Saturdays and Wednesdays.

“It gets pretty packed when it’s a nice day out,” Disanto said. “Plus, it’s a Saturday so people really don’t have much to do.”

Whether you are a student looking to land a job or taking summer courses for credit, or even if you are looking to volunteer and be a member of the community, the possibilities in Urbana-Champaign are numerous.

If all else fails, the bars are still open.