With summer now gone and classes back in session, the time to go on vacation, travel and sightsee has come to an end. However, throughout the time off, many students at California Baptist University had the opportunity to spend time at the beach and travel to places other than Riverside.
While some students may have stayed in California, not wandering too far from CBU, others took to the road and traversed the United States.
A few Lancers even managed to go overseas before the fall school session started.
But as the reality of classes, homework, studying, working and the overall busy schedules start to take over, the memories made of the places seen these past few months have some students starting off on a good note.
“I feel great about coming back to CBU,” said Noel Bravo, senior graphic design major.
During the summer session Bravo traveled with a team to Chicago, Ill., for a United States Project. While in Chicago, Bravo and the other team-members volunteered their time at a vacation Bible school, as well as partaking in outreach to international students while they were there.
Bravo found his last night in Chicago to be his most memorable moment during his time away.
“After my team came back from visiting the city, we had one last team time together and my team leader humbled himself and washed all of our feet just like how Christ washed his disciples’ feet before he was arrested. It was definitely a memorable and emotional moment,” Bravo said.
Compelled by the Great Commission and a desire to serve, many Lancers spent a short period of their summer being a part of either a USP or International Service Project.
Tyler Buntin, a sophomore electrical and mechanical engineering major, visited Japan this summer on one of CBU’s ISP teams.
While in Sendai, Japan, Buntin and the rest of the team helped the disaster relief effort, as well as construction in the nearby area.
Having been to Mexico before, this was not Buntin’s first time traveling, and because the reason for the trip was not for leisure, the experience was that much more unique.
“The culture in Japan was much different and the purpose of the trip was to help, not take a vacation, so that was a difference,” Buntin said.
Instead of long distance adventures, some students took advantage of the local events that happen annually in California.
The San Diego Comic Book Convention, or “Comic-Con,” was the event of which Julianne Doran, junior nursing major, took advantage.
“I’ve heard about it every year from friends, co-workers and the Internet but had never gone,” Doran said. “The convention center was overwhelmingly huge. There were booths for anything and everything. I met talented artists, writers and even bumped into some actors.”
Although some students might not have gone as far as they would have liked during their time off from school, some took advantage of the summertime to enjoy the nearby states and all of the various opportunities for fun those desti- nations had to offer.
Austin Cary, sophomore biology major, spent his summer traveling between Northern California and Colorado – when he wasn’t at home throwing luau-themed parties.
He spent time visiting the beaches alongside the West Coast, stopping in San Francisco for some ice cream. Cary even managed to stop in Denver to go horse-back riding and attend his siblings’ tournaments.
Though summer seems to hold the greatest opportunities for those wanting to get away, the semesters leading into the next summer break have a few opportunities of their own. Until then, students can wait eagerly as plans for fun, adventure and excitement are made.
