Switched-On :: Blog

photo courtesy flickr user unlisted sightings

Although some of us have started to enjoy summer activities already, as far as astronomy is concerned, June 21st at 7:28 A.M. EDT was the “official” start of summer for the year of 2010 in the Northern Hemisphere. It is referred to as the Summer Solstice. On this day which is commonly referred to as Midsummer, there is the longest period of daylight in the year and the sun technically peaks at 7:28 A.M. and stays longer than usual. In various cultures, this day is celebrated for different reasons — some believe it symbolized a sign of fertility, while others see it as a time of magic and celebrations vary from culture to culture. The most notable celebration is at Stonehenge where people gather to watch the sunrise of this day. Personally, we don’t celebrate it in my family though there appears to be a celebration in my culture for this day though I was awake to witness the sunrise. Rise and shine!

- Vivian

photo courtesy flickr user veer66

With the arrival of summer and warmer weather comes the increase in outdoor activities. This is further amplified by the variety of events here in Chicago. During the summer, many festivals are held all around Chicago — I was personally at the Blues Fest last Saturday. There are a variety of music festivals for different genres so check online or look around and you might find one right for you [some may require an entrance fee/passes while others might not]. A well-known festive event during Chicago summers is Taste of Chicago with a gathering of food vendors and performances. There is no entry fee though if you do want a “taste of Chicago” in terms of food, you might want to bring some money to try things out. There are also art fairs where DIY artists display and sell their products, dance festivals, and “Movies in the Parks. So check out your local festivals and then get out and explore!

- Vivian

photo courtesy flickr user storm crypt

Some people might think, “Summer! Time to party and have fun!” which is to an extent true. HOWEVER, we need to keep in mind that we want to stay safe while doing that –meaning no drinking illegally, drug abuse, or anything of that sort. There are plenty of ways to have an enjoyable summer that does not involve those activities. Traveling is a possible option, especially if you’re in a university that offers studying abroad — then you can kill two birds with one stone and get some credits while enjoying the scenery and meeting new people. For cheaper and local alternatives, maybe look into some skills you may be interested in picking up and see if you can do it over the summer either by teaching yourself with the resources online or joining a class. There are a lot of things you can do outdoors as well, considering it’s summer and the weather will mostly be nicer. Take a visit to the beach, have a picnic or barbecue, frolic at the park, or check for local festivals and join in the fun. I have a friend who is going to work on a farm — maybe start your own little garden? The options are unlimited, try one or many!

- Vivian

As teenagers, job hunting may not seem to be your biggest concern right now. However, it may be a good idea to take up a summer job for job experience. Others, like me, might want a summer job to finance their education though. Personally, I’ve sent in applications to many different stores in hopes of finding a cashier job or something for some extra cash to save up for my education– and even that’s hard to find. What’s annoying is a lot of jobs want you to have experience before hiring you…but if everyone does that, then where do we get the experience? That’s my pet peeve with job hunting. Although summer seems to be the golden opportunity to work without the burdens of school, it seems to be very difficult to find a job that could either finance your future plans or help provide you with experience needed for future plans. How are you faring with finding a summer job?

- Vivian