While some students traveled or worked during the summer break, others were continuing their academic pursuits and enrolling in summer classes for the two available sessions.

For the summer session I, 2,532 students were enrolled while 2,249 enrolled in summer session II.

The summer season is split into two academic sessions, with each session lasting for about six weeks.

These shorter classes meet for 2-3 hours rather than the usual hour and a half and usually meet 3-4 days a week instead of two days a week, as is common in the fall and spring semesters.

Because of the short amount of time, these classes are quicker than a course in the fall or spring semesters due to back-to-back tests and assignments.

Velislav Ganev, business finance senior, chose to take four summer classes — one in the first session and three in the second session.

“My goal is to graduate by December 2011,” Ganev said. “In order to do that, I had to take 12 credit hours during the summer. Some of the classes I needed were offered only during the summer, so I was pretty much forced.”

During that time, Ganev was also working 40 hours a week in an internship with ZirMed Inc., in Louisville.

“Having a full-time job and having a full-time load during the summer is not something I would recommend, but sometimes we have a specific goal we want to reach and we don’t have a lot of choice,” Ganev said.

However, some students choose to not partake in summer courses and instead participate in other activities.

Angela Tanudjaja, advertising senior, spent her summer interning with Actor’s Theater in Louisville.

“I needed a break before I tackle the last year and a half of my career,” she said.

Although Tanudjaja chose not to take summer classes, she said she wished the fall and spring semester were designed more like the shorter, intense summer classes.

“I really think the fall and spring semester should be more like summer classes — like a quarter system,” she said. “Focusing on two-to-three classes instead of five can be less stressful.”

By MICHELE HOP

Profiles Editor

mhop@ius.edu