Once finals end in May and graduates walk the stage, a sudden hush falls over State College. North Atherton traffic seems to disappear, construction sites pop up all throughout campus, and the usual hustle and bustle comes to a grinding halt.

Only the bravest of Penn State students stay for the summer because — let’s be honest — there’s not much going on. However, there’s a unique beauty that lies within taking the time to spend a summer here in the borough.

Some of our staffers have had the pleasure of sticking behind over the past few weeks. Here are the little things they’ve appreciated throughout their State College summers.

Matt DiSanto: The State Theatre’s Summer Movie Series

There’s nothing I missed more over the past year or so than heading to the movies. Overpaying for candy and sitting in a cramped theater with a few dozen strangers is practically a ritual at this point, and I feel so fortunate that I’m able to do that in State College at The State Theatre.

You see, The State Theatre’s “Summer Movie Series” is simply incredible. Over the past four weeks, I’ve gotten the chance to check out four Best Picture-nominated films — “Citizen Kane,” “Minari,” “Judas & The Black Messiah,” and “Promising Young Woman.” The best part? Tickets for each film were just $6.50.

Look, this isn’t a paid advertisement. I’m just a movie-goer who appreciates a good deal. Do yourself a favor and grab some friends, tickets, and popcorn to head over and support a great local establishment. Enjoy the show!

Charles Reinert: Learning More About Yourself

I’m fortunate enough to have landed an internship here in State College, and when I’m not doing something for my internship, I get a lot of alone time. Hey, that’s fine with me. There’s a lot to be said about the importance of being alone and giving yourself time to reflect on who you are as a person.

The quiet atmosphere of State College in the summer is the perfect location for a little time with your thoughts. Sure, I miss my family and my friends back home. But it’s nice to have a little time to myself and have the opportunity to understand me just a little bit more each day. One can’t love others until they love themselves first. It’s also nice to get right into Country Night at Pickle’s when I do go out with my friend who’s also interning up here this summer.

Colleen Nersten: Breaking Into Checking Out Apartment Pools

The high rises downtown may not be entirely welcomed, but they do have wonderful pools. Because State College is pretty quiet in the summer, it’s easy to sneak in and get your tan on. The best part? Literally nobody cares. Having gigantic infinity pools at my disposal is absolutely a perk of State College in the summer. One time, I even got a free snowcone at The View pool because they thought I was a resident.

Rory Pelella: Stopping To Smell The Roses

There’s something about the peace and quiet of a summer day in Happy Valley that just feels magical. For me, it’s the little things, like being able to have Old Main Lawn all to myself while I enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or running around campus and not needing to avoid busy places like the HUB. It’s the farmer’s markets, tubing in Spring Creek, sunsets at the Arboretum, conversations with locals, Spikes games ($2 Tuesdays for life), and, of course, the beer garden at Doggie’s. You just can’t beat it.

Dana Nunemacher: No North Atherton Chick-Fil-A Line

Many things stress me out in life, but nothing stresses me out more than the North Atherton Chick-Fil-A line. There is no worse feeling than making the turn from Colonnade Boulevard after a quick Target trip and seeing the backed-up Chick-Fil-A line clogging up traffic on Atherton. I then need to question if I should wait or just keep going. Well, now I no longer need to worry about this line!

Sure, lunchtime on a Friday can still cause a little traffic, but it’s NOTHING like it used to be. I even have figured out the right time to go when the parking lot is empty, but I’ll keep those times confidential.