1. Money. Taking summer classes, especially at a community college can save you some big money when it comes to your overall tuition costs. Early graduation or part-time student status can make a huge difference at the end of the day.

2. Grades. As much as we don’t like to admit it, our grades are always higher when our social life isn’t so thriving. The week your favorite bar closed for renovations? Straight A’s. The week it re-opened? Not so much. With fewer people on campus, it’s almost like good grades are a certainty. Not to mention that if you take your summer classes at a local community college, it’s almost guaranteed that it will be easier than your regular classes.

3. Jobs.  As far as my experience has shown, all of my job interviewers have been super interested in the fact that I’ve taken summer and winter classes.  It showed them that I had taken initiative to better myself by sacrificing a summer for my own education.

4. Being on campus. So summer classes aren’t all study, study, study. Being on campus in the summer is great. Imagine being able to find a parking spot at the coffee shop every time. Or getting into the bar without a line. Or not having to wait to use the only color printer at the library. There are some major advantages to being on campus during the summer.

5. Friends. New or old, summer bonding is sure to occur when you’re the only ones on campus. You’ve got loads more time to hang out, plus you’ve got to get mighty creative in how you pass the time since there isn’t as much going on in the summer months. I’ve made some of my closest friendships from the one summer class I took.

So now stop dragging your feet about taking a summer class and sign up! It’s a totally different experience than you’re used to and one everyone should try at least once. And really, if you get some classes out of the way now, that 2nd semester of your senior year will be a total breeze. Done and done.

Well that just sucks.

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like Facebook! ) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

Summer, my favorite time of year. Not because of the weather (yay, swimming!) or the fashion (yay, things that aren’t sweaters!) though those things are great – I love summer for the same reason that pretty much every other kid who went to school in America does; no class! But, even though the sixth grader inside my head chafes at the idea, summer classes are becoming more and more common, so the question is, are they worth it?

Alright, the pros of summer classes (words I never thought I would write). One perk of taking summer classes is that you’re getting your credits but you can mix up the usual class experience – you can take classes at an affiliated college or do a program in another city or country (hot foreign boys). Plus you don’t have all of the distractions that come with the rest of the school year (football games, school newspaper, frat row parties…). Getting some classes done over the summer also means more credits you don’t have to take later, so maybe cutting down your college career (and the amount of time you’re footing those tuition bills). Summer classes also usually take about half the time that classes do during the school year (how does that work??) and a lot of the time you can catch a break on the price with special summer scholarships and financial aid.

So yeah, maybe taking summer classes isn’t such a bad idea… or is it?

Taking summer classes isn’t all bright and sunny (like the weather you’ll be missing indoors); there are cons too. Aside from the whole “you have the next 40 years of your life to work so why not enjoy a little freedom while you have it” argument *cough cough* there are also some practical considerations. For one thing, if you live in campus housing or go take classes somewhere out of town, you have nowhere to live. Most of the time you can find a limited-time rental to stay in, but it means forking over extra cash. Also, while you won’t be distracted by all of the cool stuff going on during the school year, do you really think you’re going to be less distracted by missing out on the awesome BFFs roadtrip or those vacation pictures that just haunt your Facebook feed?

Not to mention that social interaction is supposed to be part of the college experience, instead you’ll be there with a bunch of people like you who are just holding thier breath until class is over and they can escape – forget bonding! On the purely academic front, the shorter number of class days means longer classes most of the time and may also make it harder for you to absorb the subject and get all of the homework done. To save money, most schools also cut down on the hours things like libraries and camputer labs are open which could make life hard if you’re working on, say, a research heavy class (or have three homework-less roommates).

So what do you think? Are you signing up for the summer credits? Or will you be kicking back this year and soaking up your free summers while you have them? Duke it out!

Class all year? FML.

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman, so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like what is cheating!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

There’s been some debate recently about increasing the number of days public school kids have to spend in class, and while you may be thinking “man, I’m glad I’m not in high school anymore,” think again. Colleges, especially public ones, generally follow the patterns set up by lower levels of schooling, which means that if they cut back on summer, you could kiss it goodbye too.

I’ll give you a moment to go find a paper bag to breathe into.

Proponents of adding school days to the calendar – including President Obama and the Education Secretary – note that American kids go to school fewer days than other countries, the same countries that tend to do better in math and science than we do. And, they claim, adding days has proven effective in some places in the U.S.  Loathe though I am to say it, they do have a point. Test scores do rise in schools that have longer school days and years.

They also point out that summer can really hold kids back academically, with many of them forgetting things or taking extra time at the start of the year to get back to the level they were at before the vacation (exhibit A: my Calculus grade last fall). Kids from poorer families get hit especially hard because their parents don’t have the opportunities to keep them enriched through things like museum trips or new books, so they fall behind even further than the rest. And it is true that our system is based on a time when most families were farmers and needed the kids around to help with the planting in summer – a system that most of us just don’t live under now – so summer isn’t really needed, it’s just something we’re used to.

Still, there are some good reasons to avoid adding on to school time. For one thing, even though Americans go to school fewer days than some other countries, we tend to be in school more hours, even than the countries that outscore us! (Could that mean there is another reason for our falling scores? I think so.) Also, in a time when we constantly hear about how kids are growing up too fast, that they need to play outside more and are under too much pressure, giving them what is essentially a 9 to 5 job probably isn’t going to lighten the load any.

And, as we’re still in the middle of some serious economic times, it’s definitely worth noting that keeping schools open longer not only adds to the school’s costs, but it also takes money away from vacation based industries that rely on the summer trade, like camps and resorts. Let’s face it, that camping trip doesn’t sounds as good when you have to struggle through Chem lab with a hangover and sunburn on Monday.

And let’s not forget: summer is awesome. Isn’t that enough to keep it around?

So whether it’s just  for solidarity with the little kid you used to be or the ramifications it might have on your class schedule, what would you pick? Would you be willing to give up a few days of free time to finally understand what ax+bx-y=r means (Nothing! They’re LETTERS!)? Or would you rather keep your break and forget about being top on the international education pile?

Would this schedule change even make a difference? Duke it out, CollegeCandies, duke it out.

Except, I do imagine it. I catch myself worrying about non-existent assignments and responsibilities that won’t resume until September. But even more, I constantly find myself spacing out at work, reminiscing about all the good stuff that comes along with college. Mostly the whole not-bored-at-work-9-to-5 thing.

And I miss it!

Meal Plans: While I’m lucky enough not to be taking classes this summer, I do have to work — which means I’m stuck in a college town all summer long without the benefit of visiting home, and therefore the benefit of home cookin’. My freshman year, I ate dining hall food. My sophomore year, my sorority dues included a meal plan. This summer, with my sorority house closed and the dining halls freshmen-infested, I’m armed only with my apartment’s kitchen and whatever the hell I find when I Google “easy, cheap, healthy recipes” and pudding. Do I enjoy learning to cook? Absolutely. Would I prefer a cook to prepare my meals? Uh, hell yes. Plus, there’s no clean up if you’re not the one using all the dishes…

The Gym: As any lady knows, summer is either the best time to flaunt your hard earned bikini-bod, or to berate yourself for spending more of Spring watching The Office than a yoga instructor. So naturally, gym time is a necessary evil (unless you enjoy working out, which I sadly do not). Imagine my disappointment when I arrived at my campus gym early for kickboxing, only to have my student I.D. DENIED at the turnstile. It was almost as embarrassing as having a credit card declined, weirdly enough. Apparently, if you don’t take summer classes at FSU, you can’t use the gym (I guess the tuition I pay during fall and spring doesn’t cut it). Every day as I run outside (instead of on a treadmill with AC and Daisy of Love repeats) I count the days until I’ll be back at the student gym.

The Bar Scene: Never in my life did I think I’d find myself wishing for the bar to be more crowded. There are no lines for the bathroom, the bartenders are almost overly attentive, and I have enough room to extend my arms. All of these are seemingly good things, but when there are no people to watch, no strangers to mingle with, and no one standing between me and unlimited mojitos, things at the bar just don’t end well. When it takes me 20 minutes to fight my way through the crowd to the bar in Fall, I will look back at this time lovingly, but for now, the bar scene just seems kinda boring.

“Academic Expenses”: As I mentioned before, I’m a working woman. But when my parents offer to help out with any school related costs, I definitely don’t turn it down. The beauty of this is that there is always some way to explain a purchase as necessary to my academic career. “Supplies” at Walmart, “Business attire” for those in-class presentations, and my personal favorite “Whatever they sell at the bookstore” because Mom’s credit card is on file there. A random charge on her statement is easily explained during the semester, but trying to convince her that I need money for “road trip supplies” doesn’t go as smoothly.

Overall, I’m not complaining about a long, hot and relaxing summer—but there are definitely a few things I miss about Fall and Spring. What about you guys?

Winter is a time for work.  We’re working hard on our schoolwork, our savings accounts, our bodies, and many other very useful things.  Summer, by contrast, is a time for play.  We’re ready to kill some brain cells, show off our bodies in barely-there outfits, and spend all that money we worked so hard to save.

Our friends over at Oscar Mayer, the people who have given us hundreds of good times at cook-outs and barbecues throughout our young lives, are giving us something else – free hot dogs.  Oh yes!  That word was FREE, homies!  Oscar Mayer doesn’t want you to spend your hard-earned cash on delicious food to sustain your amazing summer schedule.  If you go to www.oscarmayer.com, you can sign up for a coupon for free hot dogs.  Could summer get any better?

Um, yes.  I think it could.  I don’t mean to be greedy, but why don’t any other businesses give away free stuff?  Free hot dogs are pretty rad (as is free chocolate!), but where is my free pair of designer shoes?

Here are the Top 5 things I would like to see free coupons for:

1) Gas/Public Transportation Pass: I admit, I don’t claim particular allegiance to any specific gas stations.  BUT if one offered me a coupon for a free fill-up?  Oh, I’d so be on board as their new number one fan.

2) Makeup: I don’t know very much about this mysterious part of being a woman (seriously – why does an eyelash curler have to look like a ninja weapon?), so a free coupon from, say, Sephora, might entice me to learn more…(hint hint).

3) More Food: Not gonna lie, food is pretty much my BFF (aside from my good friend, sleeping).  Any free food coupons are welcome, ’cause if it’s free, I’ll eat it (no matter what it is).  Of course, I’m hoping for something along the lines of something I couldn’t normally afford by myself, but I’ll take a free McMuffin coupon (heck yes).

4) Music/Concert Tickets: Thank goodness most universities offer a free concert or two at some point during their academic year, otherwise there are some of us who would be deprived of the wonder that is live music.  Now I’d like to see some big acts (Rhianna? Lady Gaga? Fallout Boy?) follow suit and offer free tickets to their shows.  That way, we can use our free makeup to look fabulous at the concert (hint hint hint)…

5) School Books: Not that it’s time to to be thinking about such things yet (unless you are one of those dedicated people taking summer classes and, if you are, I salute you), but seeing that we are dumping all our money (and a lot of our family’s money) into our school, wouldn’t you like to see a return?  Share the love! Give me a free coupon for that $180 art history book!

Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like how we love our BFF, but we just don’t know if we love him like THAT. Or how we love trashy TV, but we’re pretty sure it’s ruining our lives. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

Ahhh, summer. The sweet, glorious days of summer. Days spent lounging by the pool, building sandcastles at the beach, or lying in bed all day watching old episodes of The OC on Soap Net. School’s finally out, and since the last long vacation you had was winter break (Spring Break doesn’t count – you came back more worn out than when you left), you’re ready for some of mom’s home cooking and not getting up from your bed. Ever.

But – whaaa? – some students choose to stay in school for the summer? I am dumbfounded. Befuddled. Mystified. Who are these creatures? I guess there are some advantages to spending your summer in the classroom, such as getting ahead in your credits, but I just can’t imagine sacrificing SUMMER is worth it.

So summer school? I’m torn.

Love It:
Lots of my friends choose to stay on campus after the rest of us board our planes to go back to our families.  Some of them take electives that they normally can’t fit into their schedule, like aikido or underwater basket weaving (yes, there is such a thing). Some of them take special classes that are only taught during the summer season, or classes taught by special visiting professors or researchers who have a busy schedule during the regular school year. Some of them take classes just to keep their brain active during the what-would-otherwise-be lazy and unproductive summer months, or to get some classes out of the way so the following year is a breeze. And sometimes, it’s just easier to get 4.0′s during summer. Classes are usually more relaxed, and with a much smaller population of students on campus, it’s easier to focus, since you’re not caught up in the party scene as much.

The best reason I’ve ever heard was from one of my rising-senior friends; he told me he was taking summer classes to fulfill credit requirements. You know, so he could graduate come next spring. I told him it was probably a good idea.

Loathe It:
This is pretty much a no-brainer: No summer fun. No break from school. No chance to earn money. No way to seize any opportunities for a cool internship, or a service trip, or a backpacking journey up Mt. Everest. Basically, it’s school for an ENTIRE YEAR. As in 12 whole months of non-stop education. You could be catching up with old friends or having some quality family fun time (actually, put the “fun” in quotes), but with summer school, the only thing on your to-do list is to study, study, and…study. As in spending the day in classes and spending the night in the library.

And let’s not forget that you are on campus alone since most of your friends have gone home for the summer. There is no one to hang out with between classes, no one to go out with at night, and you are sitting in a classroom instead of out on the beach. How could you possibly enjoy that!?

I guess there are some valid reasons for attending summer school, for instance, actually have enough credits to graduate. But for me, I would much rather spend my summer vacation doing what I can’t do during the regular school term. Like interning, or travelling, or doing absolutely nothing at all and enjoying my mom’s cooking while I’m doin’ it.

What do you think?

What’s a striving- to- have- more- money- 20- something to do? I brainstormed – in my desperate need to scrounge up some extra cash – ways in which you can get creative, have some fun and throw somethin’ extra into that piggy bank.

Turn your hobby into some cash. Do you enjoy making scrapbooks, knitting, creating playlists or setting up peoples’ iPods for them with the latest tunes? If so, take your hobby and make it into something profitable. Put out flyers in your neighborhood, an ad in the local paper, send out a mass email or even create a standard template website and let people know you’re open for business!

Sell some old clothes. Those prom dresses have sat in your closet since high school and, let’s face it, you’re not going to be wearing them anytime soon. Go to a consignment shop, take out an ad in the paper or swing by a local beauty pageant (I swear they’re around and the ladies will bite for those gowns). With, say, 50 bucks a dress, you could walk out of there with a couple hundred dollars!

Use those skills. Did you know that you only need 2 years of college to substitute teach? Not only that, but summer schools are desperate for teachers AND you can make around $100 a day (and for summer school, that’s like $20 an hour = not bad!). Or, do some tutoring. You can make up to $60 an hour tutoring, depending on your education level and experience. And most of that money is straight cash, baby!

Change it up. What do you do with your spare change? Get an empty water cooler bottle and leave it by your front door. Every day when you come in, dump the spare change from your pockets, car, purse, etc. At the end of every month, count it up; you’d be surprised at how much you accumulate. My boyfriend and I counted his lose change this weekend and guess how much we got? $270!!!!

Purge your stuff. Have a tag sale. Get rid of some of those old clothes, books, etc., that are sitting in your room collecting dust. One woman’s trash, is another woman’s treasure!

Yard Work. Are you immune to poison ivy and your neighbors are not? Offer to do some weeding and gardening for them for a bargain price! Not only will they appreciate the help, but they’ll be so stoked about not getting the itchiesthat they may even through in some bonus cash (or at least some ice cold lemonade)!

Babysit. Parents have the hardest time finding care for their kids during the summer months. If you’re kid friendly, offer to be a nanny a few days a week – or even one or two nights, so the parentals can get some romantical time.

Move your cash. Whatever money you do have lying around needs to have a home. Is your bank account getting the best interest rate? If not, move banks and, most times, you can get some bonus money (some banks will give you up to $200 for moving to them!) when you sign up. Cha ching!

Ebay-it. If you don’t feel like garage sale-ing it, take some pics of your stuff and throw it on eBay. Who knows how much you could make on such a heavy shopped site.

Have any more tips on how to make some dough? Spill it CC-ers – we oughta know!

(Photo courtesy of CCWS Medical)

Solid French Top $36, Solid Hipster Tie Bikini $34, both from J.Crew

I know I recently praised the return of the one-piece bathing suit, but today I stumbled upon the most adorable bikini — and I’m pretty sure I would have died if I hadn’t instantly bought it and splurged on the express shipping so that it will arrive at the currently sunny and delicious Dartmouth College asap.

Only the cool kids have summer school, believe you me, and I plan on spending a good chunk of this beer-infused summer camp sporting this little number. The question isn’t whether it’s appropriate to wear a bikini to class, but whether or not it will help me finally seduce that hot government professor I’ve been eyeing since last semester — that was a strictly theoretical example of course.

But more about this swimsuit. Tell me this isn’t the pinnacle of cute? I can see myself sunning on a nice polka-dot towel, pearl earrings, coral toenail polish with a Nalgene full of Malibu and pink lemonade by my side.

If you currently reside within a 25 mile radius of Hanover, you are strictly forbidden to buy said swimsuit under penalty of my wrath, slightly less, but still a terrifying wrath if you buy it in another color. For those who live in other areas, feel free to purchase with reckless abandon.