This long and stressful school year is finally nearing its end, and students are looking forward to their summer plans, whether that means traveling, hanging out with friends, working, or just relaxing. In addition, all Upper School students are now eligible to get vaccinated, which lifts many restrictions for summer activities and job opportunities. The Romans have some unique work plans for the summer, and some shared that COVID influenced their decisions to get jobs.
Senior Sujan Garapati explained that his passion for tennis inspired him to become a group and private instructor at the Saddle and Cycle Club for the second year in a row. “The main reason I took this job was that it gave me the opportunity to share my love for tennis with others,” he said. Sujan added, “It’s really fulfilling to see someone else grow on the court as a result of your advice.” Since tennis is a relatively socially distanced sport played outside, Sujan discussed how he feels safe being a tennis instructor during a pandemic. “I had such a great time last summer and am looking forward to building on the connections I made,” Sujan said.
Similarly, senior Charlotte O’Toole is working at Apachi day camp, which operates out of Walter Payton College Prep. “I worked there last year, too,” Charlotte said, “when it was one of the very few camps running in the entire city during COVID.” Charlotte said her schedule was very relaxed this school year, and the prospect of waking up early and working all day every day is overwhelming. This year, the Upper School began class at 9 a.m. every day, almost a full hour later than a typical school year; hence, as Charlotte said, schedules were “relaxed” this year.
“Apachi is definitely a fun place to work, though, and hopefully the COVID restrictions will be less strict than last summer, now that all of the counselors are vaccinated,” Charlotte added. She said that this summer will look pretty normal in her eyes.
Junior Naomi Altman plans to work in a lab this summer at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. “I will be helping out specifically with cancer research, and I’m so excited to be working there,” Naomi said. She also described how COVID did not impact this decision—it was solely her own interest in the medical research field.
Some students, such as junior Reyna Puri, have jobs lined up at clothing stores. “This summer, I am planning to work part-time at Aritzia as a markdown associate, putting clothes on sale,” Reyna said. The trendy clothing store, which is popular among Latin students, has multiple locations in the Chicago area. “I am excited to start working because I love putting together new outfits, and I think Aritzia is a great place to be surrounded by other people who like clothes,” she said. Last summer, with COVID at its peak, Reyna discussed how she didn’t make the best use of her time, so she wants this job to keep her busy. “Come and shop at Aritzia. I’ll be there,” she emphasized.
As summer rapidly approaches, students are thrilled to finally be able to escape the remote world and take part in fully in-person activities. The CDC continues to ease restrictions, especially regarding mask guidelines and gatherings. If all goes well on the COVID front, the Romans are in for one heck of a summer.
Naomi said, “I am fully vaccinated and my job is in person, which is so exciting after the extremely tough year we have had.”