Campus is always busy during the fall and there are events to attend almost every day but during the summer, most events are geared towards incoming students.

While the majority of students leave DeKalb for the summer there is still a portion of the student population that remains on campus. There are different reasons why students choose to stay on campus but the two most common from students I spoke with are work and summer classes.

Junior management major Crystal Ayala and Fabian Yanez, business administration major, stayed on campus for internships and classes. Yanez said he tries to keep busy playing basketball and working out to avoid being lazy over the summer.

“I have a job in DeKalb and also I like staying in my apartment and having a lot of freedom,” Yanez said. “Also when I’m in DeKalb I mostly chill, and in Chicago I spend too much money.”

Boredom is another problem for students looking for summer activities.

“For fun in DeKalb all I have really done is take walks to the lagoon but other than that, not much,” Ayala said. “I have gone to Chicago to meet up with friends.”

A job or class or daily routine only takes up so much of a person’s time and eventually everyone needs a break. Rainn Darring, Campus Activities Board president, said NIU holds Summer Orientation and Rec Fest — activities geared toward new students — and he has not seen any events for residential students.

I think it is great that NIU wants to hold events to help and show off the campus to new students, but at the same time it feels as though current students are ignored during the summer. If NIU wants to attract and keep new students on campus it should take care of the students here now.

“I am not entirely sure why there are not any events promoted towards residential students but I do believe it would be more engaging to include events for students that remain in DeKalb over break,” Darring said. “It sort of keeps the community together and makes us feel appreciated.”

For the students who already decide to stay on campus, holding events would make the stay more enjoyable and for students who usually leave for the summer, new events might make them pause and consider staying.