Well fellow CSU students, it’s been a long, hot 14 weeks since you’ve last graced campus with your presence. I genuinely hope you’ve all had a great — oh what’s that? You were just here two weeks ago taking finals for summer semester?

Oh, you actually spent 4 to 12 weeks in summer classes rather than boating up at Horsetooth, tubing down the Poudre or playing “you honk, we drink” in your front yard?

I think we should all take a moment here and recognize those who slaved away on campus this summer instead of partying like it was freshman year. Here’s to you, who sat in some windowless classroom each day in Clark C in unreliable temperature conditions — unsure whether to bring a sweatshirt in case of extreme AC, or wear your swimsuit in the all too often event that the classroom felt more like a sauna.

Here’s to you, who sat through tortuous two hour lectures with only a mere 10 minute break, enough to grab a Pop Tart or some disgusting variety of Bugles from the vending machine (if it took your RamCash and if your snack didn’t get stuck, of course).

Heres to you, who survived entire days running off of only a breakfast sandwich from Bagel Place and a coffee from the Morgan Library. Here’s to you, who finished each week of a regular semester in one measly day and took midterms just two weeks before your final exams!

Here’s to you, all you slackers who didn’t finish or take enough of your credits in the regular semester and had to take summer classes to graduate on time — yet complained about it anyways. Our hats come off to you, summer school kids.

Having taken 18 credits this summer, (yes, I was a slacker and needed to take a full summer load in order to graduate this upcoming December) I’ve noticed an interesting dynamic about the summer semesters that I have never noticed within a regular fall or spring semester. You spend every day with these people in summer courses, and often times have multiple classes in a day together.

This can range anywhere from spending two to six hours with some of the same people each day — sound familiar? High school, anyone? In one of my classes in particular this summer, I found we had more cliques and drama than my 10th grade biology class — and that was a dramatic class, let me tell you. It’s sad, really, how much it compared.

We had a popular group (which I was part of, naturally), a quiet group, a rebel/slacker group, the overachievers, a few hipsters here and there, etc. By the end of the four weeks, we were fighting with each other, gossip was spreading and rumors were flying amidst. I took a step back at the end of the four week session and laughed, feeling as if I had time travelled back in time to the halls of my high school.

Summer classes weren’t all gossip and drama however. Spending that much time with people each day can become a pretty cool experience, and I’ve made many good friends I wouldn’t ordinarily have made partying all summer. I must admit, I find myself feeling a bit sad and nostalgic now that summer classes are over and that small, intimate environment is no longer.

I have been watching campus fill up this first week, and although I enjoy the excitement, I am missing actually being able to walk through the plaza without being bombarded by voter registration advocates and being offered 400 packets of coupons. The more I think about it though, I remember that the Skellar is open past 6 p.m. during the regular school year – I guess I’ll be OK after all.

Anyway, welcome back, to the first year freshmen all the way up to the seventh year super seniors. Let’s start fall semester off right – whether you were here two weeks ago or are just returning from a year long break.

I expect to see stellar class attendance on the weekdays, followed up by keg stands and beer bongs on the weekends (which we all know begin on Thursdays) — I expect nothing less from you all. Welcome back, Rams!

Lauren Stieritz is a senior communication major. Her columns appear Fridays in the Collegian. Letters and feedback can be sent to letters@collegian.com.