Summertime is here, and we’ve managed to finish yet another school year. Unless you’re taking summer school, it is now time to hibernate and make up for all those sleepless nights studying and stressing out about exams. What happens to all the non-local students in the summer?

Despite it being recognized as more of a commuter school, Cal State East Bay is also geographically diverse containing students from all over California.

According to the Cal State East Bay analysis of the Fall 2017 entering class profile,  there were 2,664 new entering freshmen and transfer students from the Bay Area, 430 new freshmen and transfer students from Southern California, 256 new freshmen and transfer students from Central California and 128 new freshmen and transfer students from Northern California.

These statistics do not represent all students of course, but it goes to show that Bay Area students are still in the lead when attending CSU East Bay. In addition, they are followed by students coming from Southern California.

As an LA native myself, going on my fifth year at CSU East Bay, I can safely say that going back and forth from the Bay to LA hasn’t been that easy. There are so many options and decisions to choose from once summer hits.

You can go back home and catch up with family and friends, or stay for the summer to explore and enjoy the freedom. This can be advantageous if you are looking for a break.

If you live and will keep living in the dorms, then going back to SoCal for the summer is a must since moving out is mandatory. If you do not have a part-time job, then even better because there is less to worry about.

You would have no other option but to go through the cycle of quitting and job-hunting at least twice a year. From my experience that can be a little stressful. I have done that three out of the four years I have been there, and it has been frustrating.

I would go back home, find a short summer job, quit, go back to school and find a new job for the school year. I’d find it worth it.

Besides the slight stress and anxiety of not being financially stable for a bit, I always manage to make it through. However, finding a part-time job while at school is not a problem. It can just take time and patience. After all, that is a small price one has to pay for trying to get the best of both worlds.

School can be overwhelming for students who are far away from home living on their own without close family support. Once summer hits it does good to go home to familiarity, and that students take a break from that atmosphere to refuel for the next school year.

I only lived on campus my first two years after that I have been renting out places around the area. I have gone through the same process that many SoCal students at East Bay have done.

Once you get the feel of living in the dorms and familiarize with the Bay, you start to grow out of it and realize you can save more money living off-campus. In addition, you can free yourself of dorm restrictions. Although this also means more responsibilities.

Beginning to pay rent every month and utility bills is a huge welcoming into adulthood. Decisions become harder when renting because once summer hits, you have to keep working to pay rent and going back home does not seem as intriguing.

Many SoCal students stay because if they have to pay rent, they might as well live there. Some find someone to sublease their room, so that way they can save money and still go home.

Or in my case, you pay rent for the summer and go home either way. Many people have asked me why I do that because in their eyes it’s “not worth it” and a waste of money. I, on the other hand, do not see it that way.

Yes, I am paying for a place I am technically not living in for about 1-3 months. I’m aware I’m your typical broke college student, so I might as well make it worthwhile and live in the place I am paying for. I can see why some people have been thrown off when I explain this situation to them.

The way I see it is that I’m taking a break from school, including the area, and like an adult, if I go on a summer “getaway” even a simple one like home, then my responsibility is to not leave those months of rent I am not there unattended. It is my duty, and I am securing my place for next school year.

I know I’m not the only SoCal student in this situation, and we are not making any dumb mistakes, despite the negativity or misunderstanding we might get for it. We are simply living happily and owning up to our decisions.

Cal State East Bay’s SoCal students have many options to choose from during the summer, and as everyone can see they can be a hassle. Yet, whatever decisions are made, there is no right or wrong.