Ah, school once again. Time to reset your mind into learning mode and get ready for flashcard memorization and scantrons. Time to blow all your money on greasy fried chicken, or maybe you prefer Mondo Burritos. It’s time to put away the floral tank tops and flip flops and take out the Uggs and the North Faces (unless of course Ms. O’Sullivan forecasts sunny weather with her amazing atmospheric condition prediction talents). But before you pile on your sweaters, let’s take a look at what some people have been doing this summer.

S+U+(2M)+E+R

For a hot six weeks at the Texas Mathworks math camp in San Marcos, Texas, junior Michael Proulx studied number theory, which he defines as “simple, but deep math.” Being a simple but deep man himself, Michael wanted to expand his learning capacity far beyond the math curriculum. During the numerous recreational activity breaks between classes where Michael was asked to prove why zero is equal to zero, he enjoyed playing intense rounds of ping pong and Wii, and fire burned on the dance floor when the math camp kids threw dance parties. He even learned a few phrases in Mandarin Chinese, including “I love you,” “you are very beautiful,” “it is hot out,” “walk with me,” and “white people are stupid” (a phrase every man should know when he enters math camp). Michael may or may not have used the more caring phrases on a girl he “may or may not have gone out with” at camp.

Camels, Yaks, and SATs

Meanwhile in China, junior Angela Zhang was also busy with an academically oriented vacation. Her parents decided to enroll her in SAT classes in Shanghai. From 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Angela was surrounded with white walls, six rows of white tables, cubbies, and a chalkboard. Despite the plain classrooms and the six hours of daily study with only one break for lunch, she enjoyed getting to experience the country. Angela filled her free time with KTV, hugely popular Chinese karaoke. Her nights were filled with rounds of “truth or dare,” resulting in one person confessing their love to a stranger on the street at 2 a.m., and their boo slapping them for being unfaithful.

After she finished her SAT classes, Angela, her parents, and a few family friends rented a van and driver, and drove around western China and the Silk Road region.

In China, every religion has its own dialect, and people living an hour car ride away from each other might speak two totally different languages. “It’s really important to know where someone comes from,” she explained. “It’s the third question asked after name and age.”

They drove for five days through grassy mountains with sheep and yak, and through the Gobi Desert. “I visited a lot of temples, climbed a sand dune and slid down on a wooden sled, rode a camel, and rode a horse,” she said. “Then I got kicked in the leg by that horse. I still have bruises and the point of contact is still numb.”

Las Vegas y Las Hillbillies

Senior Vinsy Szeto experienced the classic American road trip with her family. She arrived in Las Vegas and quickly noticed the difference between here and there. “Vegas overall has a really sad atmosphere,” she explained. “Everybody seemed to do anything just to make money, whether it was gambling, selling water, or passing out naked pictures.” After leaving Las Vegas she spent 14 hours in a car driving to Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. “We stopped by a lot of places in the middle of nowhere and my subconscious stereotypes for hillbillies have changed,” she explained. “They were really nice and offered me buffalo jerky.”

Verão em Portugal

While Vinsy was munching on jerky, juniors Luke Evans, Erica Douglas, Emma Mansfield, Catherine Palmer and freshman Matthew Evans traveled to Portugal on a trip with their church, Bethany Presbytarian. While in Portugal, they fed the homeless, rebuilt a city wall built circa 1200 A.D., and “bonded” with the locals. Luke recalls meeting an elderly Portuguese man with a walrus mustache who befriended the group and invited them into his café. “He forced us to order in Portuguese or else he pretended he couldn’t hear us if we used English,” Luke said. “When we left he told us if we ever came back to Portugal he’d have won the lottery and the ice cream would be on the house.” Earlier in the trip the group had bumped into a “Canadian” who had claimed he had lost his passport and his wallet had gotten stolen. He asked if he could have money to buy a bus ticket to visit his friend in Spain. A few days later, he gave them the exact same speech.

College (and Pizza) Hunting

Senior Alyson Mar spent 30 days in New York where she toured colleges like Pratt and NYU, and “Yelped” (an online review web site) every restaurant she visited, including some recommendations of the notable chef Anthony Bourdain. She waited two and a half hours to eat “the best pizza in New York,” made by a 70-year-old guy who is too manly to use oven mitts.

Along with each of these tales of adventure come shorter ones that deserve just as much light. Junior Anna Valibeigi went to Lake Chelan for her birthday and stole apples from an orchard. She also skinny dipped at least 15 times and said “it’s the most liberating thing I’ve ever done.” Junior Nikki Schmoeller camped on Mt. Rainier for two weeks and built trails, in addition to being a camp counselor at a middle school leadership camp. The award-winning Garfield Jazz Band traveled to Europe and spent two weeks in France and Italy, playing at jazz festivals and receiving beer for busking. Oh, and junior Ian Koppe built a deck.