Extend a prayer to those brave souls currently at uni while you’re probably reading this at home, with no assignments or readings around the corner. Whether it’s to get ahead on your degree or to redo a failed core unit, there’s a good chunk of us that have had to forfeit a chilled out, lazy summer in lieu of summer school.

If you’re spending your summer studying, you’ll be familiar with these feels like they were literally yesterday (they were).

#1 Watching Your Friends Travel Without You 

Summer time is prime travel season, so being in summer school often means having to live vicariously through all your friends instas. Marvelling at their picturesque European Christmases while you wade through readings and lecture slides can do a number on the attitude.

#2 Being Cooped Up In Classrooms When It’s Gorgeous And Sunny Outside

Being an on-campus summer student is a special kind of torture, as it means spending all the best hours of sunlight of the year cooped up at uni. Apart from missing out on bathing in the sunlight, you’ll be sweating it out in lectures when everyone in the room would much rather be outside.

Thinking about all the hours spent indoors that you could’ve been spent at the beach is a recipe for disaster. Do not recommend. 

#3 Working Right Up To/Through Christmas And New Years 

Studying during summer often means you’ll be stuck with assignments and readings right up to and through Christmas and New Year.

In these situations, time management is your best friend, because no one wants to end Christmas dinner and go back to researching that paper due during the first week of January. Try and make sure you space your work out to allow yourself a mini holiday, for the sake of your sanity. 

#4 Turning Down More Social Events

Most of your friends being uni-free means more time on their hands, and more social events you’ll be unable to attend. The ability to go out whenever you want is a luxury you can’t afford, since you’ve got a lecture or an assignment due the next day. Just keep focusing on those HDs when the snapchats start rolling in.

#5 Missing Out On Work 

Committing to summer school also means you’ll have to cut back on all those juicy summer work hours and holiday rates. Try not to think about all the money you could’ve made working instead of doing readings you paid to read.

#6 But: You Get Your Pick Of Parking Spaces And Library Spots

One undeniable perk of studying over summer is getting to take all the coveted parking spots that usually fill up at 8am during the academic year. Claim your throne in the closest parking spots, and revel in the cushions of the most exclusive, secret spots of the library.

Despite all the drawbacks of summer study, you get to enjoy university without the hordes of students taking up every corner. Revel in it while it lasts.

Summer school can be an agonising experience if you let it be. It’s hard to watch everyone around you have fun, travel and earn extra money while you miss out and get bogged down with more study. But hey, on the bright side you’ll either be caught up or ahead on your studies next semester – hellooooo early graduation!

Kim Koelmeyer is and Arts (Journalism)/Law student at Deakin University and deals primarily in memes and blogging.

(Lead image: The Simpsons/FOX)