Summer breeze makes me feel fine. School will be out soon, and it's that time of year again where we must once again decide whether to put our educations to use or sit at home and learn new wrestling moves on the Nintendo 64. Tough choice. Here are some pros and cons to consider when choosing whether to intern or play this summer.

Before discussion the merits of work or play, let me just say this: DO NOT go home and take summer courses at your local college so you can get ahead in your studies. If you failed a class or two, maybe you should think about summer sessions. Otherwise don't waste your time. You're not in high school anymore, when it was cool to be in pre-calculus as a freshman, and you had to have AP everything so that you could impress college admissions committees and win adoration of your uncles and aunts who constantly reminded their kids that they should be more like you. The extra work, though rewarding, may cost you in the end. Accelerating your education will help you graduate early, sure, but when you're 20 and can't go out for a beer with any of your 22-25 year old colleagues, also fresh out of college, then where will you be? Of course, you're more likely to be successful by working harder in school, but that's a different article…

Internships are a great way to spend your summer. Usually, you can find an employer who wants slave labor in exchange for a sterling letter of recommendation (which you will probably write yourself). If you're actually interested in your major, find an internship that will allow you to further your knowledge in that field. Not only will it be more interesting to you, but your work may be close enough to a future class that you have to take. You might have a final paper almost ready to turn in before you step foot in the class. If you don't care for your major, just intern in any field. You're going to write the letter of recommendation anyway, so you can make it sound like you actually did some substantive work no matter what you do. Try not to intern in your hometown if you can help it. Living with the folks is convenient, but you may get pressured into taking a class at the local college since your parents will be sure to complain about the high cost of your education. Of course, you can always tell them you're close to burning out and giving college up all together to pursue your dream to become an artist. They'll back off. (No offense to those of you going to school to be artists.)

Staying at home without a job has merits too. It goes without saying that being the video game guru of your dorm will gain major points with your friends next year. The only problem with this summer plan is that the majority of your friends are probably slackers, and will be doing the same thing. You may come back to school only to find out that your efforts were in vain. When you go home, you can tell your parents what a great time you're having at school, except that you can never go out with your friends because their parents pay for their entertainment expenses. If they ask you to find a job for the summer, saying, "Billy's parents are rich and they don't make him work" is a poor idea. Just say that this is a critical moment in your life and that you need to "find yourself." Maybe something like, "College has shown me that I can build my own dream if I so choose. I'm going to start building today." If your parents are not so sappy, you can always try, "Social security will run out before you retire. You need me. Give me 50 bucks and leave me alone, and I promise not to send you to a convalescent home when you're both 80."