Zach, Lily, and some wonderful Student Life friends after getting sushi burritos from BLK Market.

After being at WashU for more than a minute, you will definitely hear someone talking about the ever-present St. Louis summer. This summer, aptly named the STL summer, is divisive amongst WashU students. People love it, people hate it, but, as people who spent a summer in St. Louis (Editor’s Note: Zach is also spending his next summer here), we will die on the hill that the St. Louis summer is not as bad as some make it out to be. You just have to be proactive in your planning.

If you have committed to a STL summer or are thinking about it, here are some tips on how to best enjoy your time.

Enjoy and engage with your job (or classes, LSAT/MCAT prep, etc.)

Zach: During my past summer in St. Louis, I was working at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) through WashU’s Gephardt St. Louis Fellows program. That is a mouthful, but basically I had a ton going on — my actual job, weekend Gephardt outings, and social obligations. The structured nature of both my fellowship and job are, in part, why I had such a great summer.

As you will find though, the tiredness you feel after a 9-5 is unlike any kind of college tired. Most days after work, I would conk out immediately after getting home. But, I felt intellectually stimulated and rewarded by the work I was doing. It was fun to talk to my friends and family about what I was doing at the museum that week, and I felt like I was genuinely learning something.

Now, I completely understand that some jobs are just not that engaging, or a lot of people over the summer may just be taking classes or studying for something like the MCAT or LSAT. Even then, though, I would recommend making some kind of ritual or habit out of your day. For me, I woke up every morning to an espresso shot and soyrizo bowl that I would munch on before heading off to work. After work I would usually make or get dinner with a friend. While this routine wasn’t stringent, it made me feel nice and consistent with my time. I worked remotely for two days during the week, and having a routine on those days from home both improved my work and also made me feel refreshed and on top of things. 

Lily: For me, I worked a more flexible, somewhat less time-consuming job as an intern in WashU’s Marketing and Communications Office. I loved the flexibility, but I’m not cut out for sitting in my house by myself all day. So on days that I didn’t go into the office, I tried to explore St. Louis by working in local coffee shops. A few of my favorites that I found were Black Lab Coffee, which is within walking distance of WashU, and the Protagonist if you’re able to go a little farther. That’s all to say that if your job or studying has you cooped up a bit, just turn it into a summer tour of the St. Louis coffee shop world.

Zach and Lily at a Lake Street Dive concert with their friend Sham.

Seek Out fun things! Be proactive! Say yes!

Zach: One of my favorite memories of my past St. Louis summer was going to an art fair in Webster Groves with a friend. Even though it was a last minute affair, it was such an awesome time and I got to buy some art that I really liked.

This last-minute mentality popped up a lot throughout my St. Louis summer. Buying last-minute tickets to the MUNY, going out to a party at a place I’ve never heard of, and taking late-night car rides with friends who were also in St. Louis composed much of my summer. Ultimately, these random chance events are what make it so special. You’re living in such proximity to friends (hopefully) and full-time school isn’t an issue, so have fun!

Lily: Saying yes to things doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money! St. Louis is known for having fun free activities, and that’s even more true during the summer. You can go to the MUNY for amazing shows and sit in the back rows for free. Each show, a lucky group gets upgraded to the front section — my friends and I were that group once, and it was a highlight of the summer. You can also check out weekly concerts at the Botanical Gardens, go to the Zoo, or have a picnic at the Laumeier Sculpture Park. There are a ton of ways to have a fun summer without spending a ridiculous amount of money.

Cook!

Zach: Getting to cook for yourself is one of the greatest joys of living on your own. I spent the summer after my first year at home in Ohio, where I cooked here and there. Despite this, nothing matches up to living in St. Louis and getting to craft a perfectly curated grocery list every week — it is a whole other level of independence. The first time I went grocery shopping solo, I was like a deer in headlights, frozen in place as I tried to figure out what to get and where it was in the sprawling Trader Joe’s. Now I’m a pro, and could figure out any grocery store I am placed in.

Being able to make chicken, vodka pasta, and salmon are some of the top things I’ve taken away from my St. Louis summer. Living off campus means you basically have to learn how to cook, and spending the summer in St. Louis forces you to learn. Without parents to feed you or a campus dining hall to rely on, you’re on your own for food.

Lily: Cooking with other friends who are in town is also an economical way to have fun and try new foods, all while making your apartment, dorm, or house feel more like a real home! My friends and I started doing mini-potluck style dinners where we each brought ingredients to cook a few dishes together every week. Even when the food turned out horribly wrong, it was so memorable to learn your friends’ favorite recipes and make our homes feel more home-y together.

Explore the St. Louis neighborhoods!

Zach: Another common statement you likely have heard is, “St. Louis is a city of neighborhoods,” which is largely true. For my Gephardt fellowship, one of the requirements was to go to a different neighborhood or area in St. Louis on most Saturdays. While these excursions were tiring and early in the day, looking back, I’m happy I was forced to do them.

Lily: The Tower Grove Farmers Market is another highlight. Every Saturday morning, masses of millennials and their adorably small-dog, large-dog duos descend upon Tower Grove Park to buy fresh produce and homemade crafts. Walking around with a coffee, petting dogs, and trying local food — like the tamales and mango sticky rice — became my favorite part of the week. 

Zach: Cherokee Street, South Grand, Webster Groves, and the Grand Center Arts District are just a few examples of the many other cool neighborhoods in St. Louis. They all have different vibes and activities to do, but the important thing is that you go to a ton of them when you have the free time to do so over the summer.

Lily: Also, just a little further outside of St. Louis, there are beautiful shut-ins (Johnson’s Shut Ins or Castor River). People don’t tend to appreciate the natural beauty of the St. Louis area, or the Midwest at large, but either of the shut-ins will change your mind. One of my favorite memories of the summer is swimming in the creek and climbing around the rock formations with friends. They’re sometimes busy, but it’s absolutely worth a trip to cool off and get in touch with nature.

Engage with St. Louis locals

Lily: Summer is the perfect time to break out of the infamous WashU bubble and meet other STL locals! I did this by joining the St. Louis Summer Ultimate Frisbee League, playing games every week in Forest Park. I played with a couple WashU friends along with lots of 30-something year-old women and father-son duos. I learned so much about new restaurants and activities from them and felt so much more connected with the community. If you don’t want to play frisbee — which is ridiculous but fair — I highly recommend joining another sports league, volunteering, canvassing, or taking some kind of community class to engage with St. Louisans!

Go to nearby cities!

Zach: Over the summer, a group of friends and I went to Kansas City for a three day weekend. While we hadn’t heard much about Kansas City before, we now joke that it was one of the best trips we have taken. We got delicious Kansas City BBQ, walked around a gigantic farmers market, and had the best brussel sprouts of our lives.

I also went to Indianapolis for almost a full week with another group of friends for the Fourth of July and had an amazing time. We saw fireworks, threw a frisbee around, ate great food, and just spent so much quality time together. I’ll never forget the trip. I went to two often overlooked Midwestern cities, and both trips were exciting and new.

Zach, Lily, and their friend Julia watching Fourth of July fireworks in Indianapolis.

Try doing things alone!

Lily: During the school year, it feels like people are always around. Social plans are much easier to come by when everyone is here, so it’s normal to feel like you have less going on ~socially~ during the summer. Instead of wallowing in despair, I recommend trying doing things alone.

Among other fun activities, I went to the Creve Coeur Lake about once a week by myself to run around the paths. There are some shaded, forested areas, and it’s typically fairly busy, so I didn’t feel unsafe running by myself. I got a lot more comfortable trying new things by myself this way and am so happy to be entering my adult life knowing how to enjoy spending time by myself.

Have a car (Or know someone who does)

Zach: This is a half-joke, half-serious statement. I have a car and my roommate over the summer did not. I ended up driving her to her work a ton, and just judging by her comments about St. Louis summer, I would not recommend staying for the summer unless you, a roommate, or a close friend owns one. The metro is not amazing for getting around the whole city.

Lily: If having a car is out of the question, the next best option — or better in terms of sustainability — is a bike. St. Louis isn’t the most bikeable city, but you can get to most of the essential places on a bike. And, the wind blowing in your face while you’re biking is one of the rare reprieves you’ll get from the heat.

The theme you may be picking up is that these seemingly random things that are often done out of convenience, like visiting Kansas City (a neighboring city) or going to a Webster Groves art market (a neighboring… neighborhood), are also likely to be the most fun. While the heat is truly horrible, and the public transit is lacking in some regards, there are many rewarding and wonderful aspects of a St. Louis summer. It gives you a time to truly appreciate St. Louis and all the wonderful things about it, all while hopefully having some kind of fulfilling summer experience and spending time with friends.

General list of things to do

• Art fair at Webster Groves
• Visit different neighborhoods!
• Millbrook pool at WashU!
• Go to the MUNY!
• Hi-Pointe theater (and burgers!)
• Eat at places with good outdoor seating (Taco Buddha or Lona’s)
• Shop in places you haven’t been before!
  • We recommend Papillon Press
• Don’t forget to wear linen clothing!

Zach and Lily after a run together.