It’s pretty quiet here at 1718 Melrose Place. With all the lights off except for the office area and the parking lot sparsely populated, summer has arrived at the University of Tennessee. Gone are the sirens responding to every prank fire alarm at the dorm up the hill. Gone are the lounge lizards whose backsides have worn a groove into the parlor couches. Gone are the video gamers, wired to the big screen in the common room. Even the kitchen is clean.
And while some of my colleagues claim to love the summer – “the only time I get anything done” – I find myself feeling a bit lonely. Sure there is always planning and fund-raising and orientation, but none of it is as engaging as coffee with a student or a gaggle in goofy conversation in my office. Instead, I find myself making up excuses to go sit in the coffee shop; the pillows in my visitor chairs don’t get moved.
I have a stack of books to read, a couple thoughts on program topics, a calendar of lectionary texts – but nothing really appeals right now. Instead I play on Facebook and watch the clouds float by. Occasionally, a student with a summer class will wander in, but those are few and far between. After six years in campus ministry, I’m still trying to find a strategy for overcoming the summer silence.
Clearly, I could use some help.
What do your summers look like? When your students clear out, how do you keep yourself busy? Can you actually plan during the summer when you know, that just as you put something in place, the needs will change drastically?
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Summer definitely is different. Here are some ideas, some I’ve tried, some I haven’t.
There are enough students around in the summer that we can do some things. Instead of Sunday worship, I’ve noticed that an awful lot of students who are around— go away on weekends. A weeknight vespers service has worked. So have reading groups– those who are around have more time to read and meet weekly to discuss something.
Weddings keep us plenty busy. In our community, local churches don’t often want to do weddings for people who are not membes. Reaching out to offer relationship workshops and weddings to the semi-churched — that seems like something campus ministries could do.
Intergenerational mission trips. A few college students are often game to go with a local church trip.
And here’s an idea that intrigues me: an online Bible study or discussion group. Students can log on from wherever they are, and stay in touch with their campus ministry friends.
Students who are around really appreciate opportunities for recreation. If I offer to take them strawberry picking, or for a hike, they are game.