WSSU students have a variety of summer plans

By Layla FarmerArgus Reporter The air is getting warmer, the sunshine is plentiful, and most of us can’t help but turn our minds to summer, for it is nearly upon us. That coveted three month break is almost a reality once again. Students at Winston-Salem State are getting restless, like students everywhere, and many are making their summer plans. Some are looking forward to a string of lazy days with little on the agenda but cookouts and parties, while still others are gearing to work. Crystal Davis is one student who won’t spend her summer idle. In fact, where working and playing is concerned, Davis, a junior Mass-Communications student, is planning to do a little of both. The first half of her summer, Davis said, will consist of working and squandering her checks so she will have the funds to finance the second half of her summer: a month long trip to Jamaica. Davis says she will be shadowing a woman who is a publicist for both Source and Vibe magazines, trying to learn her trade. “I want to get a feel for the music industry,” Davis said. And though she will be working hard, Davis says there will be plenty of time for play. She plans to leave the U.S. on the weekend of July 12, which has her arriving just in time for the annual Red Stripe Reggae Sum Fest in Montego Bay. The Red Stripe Sum Fest is a six day long concert featuring reggae artists. It will run from July 18-24 this year. In the past, the Red Stripe Reggae Sum Fest has featured artists such as Tanto Metro, Devonte, Shaggy, Jay-Z and Beenie Man. The concert is strategically placed in one of the top tourist locations in Jamaica, Montego Bay. Montego Bay offers patrons of the Red Strip Reggae Sum Fest the opportunity to take full advantage of white sand beaches and a wide array of activities such as scuba diving and water sports. Montego Bay also has a historical element, featuring restored house that dates back to the English planter days, and seafood is a must, with a variety of top rated restaurants overlooking the waterfront. With all this in store, Davis is looking forward to a very eventful summer, but Davis isn’t the only one who will be getting things done this summer. Janet Boulware is planning to work too. Boulware is a freshman and a Mass Communications/Spanish major. She plans to take nine hours in summer school this year. “Because I’m a double-major” she says, “It will help me catch up.” After she finishes summer school, Boulware plans to work full time at Foot Locker for the remainder of the summer, but she is hoping she’ll be able to squeeze in a little time for a beach vacation at some point. Like Boulware and Davis, many students at Winston-Salem State see the summer as an opportunity to get caught up, or to get ahead in school. But we should all remember that sometimes it is just as important to get caught up (or ahead) on our sleeping or relaxing so we will be ready for the new semester when it starts in the fall.