By: Lily Marchiafava
As the tans fade and we begin to bring our sweaters down from the attic, the time has come to take one last look at Summer, Tigers. Whether you took a road trip with friends, a family getaway, days at the beach, or simply just enjoyed long days with nothing on the calendar, Summer always has a way of leaving us with memories we never forget.
But just as quickly as the sunsets stretched into the night, the fall semester has arrived yet again: Autumn brings new classes, new goals, and plenty to look forward to. So before we dive headfirst into the season of textbooks and pumpkin spice, we asked students to share one of their favorite Summer memories and what they’re most excited about this fall.
“I would have to say that a memory from this summer has to be the weekend beach trip. During my summer of 2025, I spent almost every day working open-to-close shifts, which left me little to no time to spend with my mom and little sisters. So it was important for me to take time off and go on a little weekend beach trip to Ocean City, New Jersey. The night before the trip, my little sister and I spent some time making a playlist for the drive down, which we blasted the next day, the whole drive from Philadelphia to Jersey. When we got to the beach, we split the weekend, spending Saturday on the beach tanning or swimming in the ocean, and going on a bunch of rides at Castaway Cove. Sunday was full of fun too. We spent the morning and midday on the boardwalk before driving back home, stopping at a farmers’ market in Jersey to get a bunch of produce, and watching my little sister eat a whole mango in the car. This little weekend was spent full of making memories and remembering why family time is so important.”
“My favorite memory from this summer was attending my cousin’s wedding. Being able to see family and extended family I haven’t seen in a long time was a wonderful experience. The room was so lively and fun, it was an overall great experience. This picture is of most of the cousins in the family, plus the grandparents. It was an infectious atmosphere and such a wonderful day.”
“One of my favorite memories from this summer was going back to Universal Studios. The moment I stepped into the park, it felt like I was transported to a place where reality didn’t have to exist, especially when walking through the gates of Hogwarts. In those moments, I felt like a kid again. There were no worries, just butterbeer in hand and a little magic in the air.
What made this trip even more meaningful was knowing that I’m heading into my senior year, my final chapter before graduation. With that comes a lot more responsibility and uncertainty, which can feel a bit overwhelming at times. But experiences like this remind me that no matter what lies ahead, there’s always joy to be found in the journey. And that’s the mindset I’m carrying with me into the fall semester.”
“This was an important memory for me because I had the chance to spend time with my nephew on vacation. He lives in Long Island, so I don’t get to see him that often, and I loved going swimming with him.”
“My sister, cousin, and I went to Hershey Park. This picture was on the way there. We go there every year for the day together. It is a tradition we began, being the only three girls out of five boys. Since our boy-girl twin cousins were born in recent years, we are counting down the years we can take her along with us.”
“My family and I started a tradition called Wally Holiday, it’s basically a BBQ with food, snacks, drinks, and fun yard games. This was the first year we did it. There were two teams, and everyone was assigned to one, with the option to choose between navy blue and baby blue. For the first year, my parents, sister, and I had gotten put on opposite teams, so my Mom and I were baby blue while my Dad and sister were navy blue. We are very competitive, and so there was a lot of competitive tension all around. Even though their team won, it was still such a fun day. (I’m pretty sure they cheated, but that’s just me.)”
“This picture is from my birthday, it’s very special to me because I’ve never really had anything special for my birthday (especially since it’s on Father’s Day every couple of years like this year) and Toni, my boyfriend, went out of his way to make sure I had an amazing time by taking me to dinner.”
While the Summer gave us all of these memories to look back on, the Fall semester is all about what’s ahead. Here is what students are most excited for as the year unfolds:
“During the fall semester, I am looking forward to many things. One thing is making new friends and experiencing new atmospheres. Being able to come into a new environment and make a new start, and begin fresh. I am also looking forward to all the content being taught and being able to expand my knowledge.”
Kylie McCracken, 2029, Early Education/Special Education.
“I am most excited about wearing fall sweaters and my Uggs.”
Skyler Kucowski, 2028, Early Childhood Education Pre-K-4th/ Special Education Pre-K-12th
“This fall, I’m looking forward to starting my clinicals. I’m very excited to explore different nursing fields and get hands-on experience.”
Maimoonah Zakar, 2027, Nursing
“I am excited to start observations and be in the classroom this semester. I have waited to be in the classroom for what seems like forever, and now I will.”
Alayna Gutherman, 2028, Secondary English Education with a Minor focus in History
“I’m looking forward to passing my nursing class and being able to get to the part where I can wear the scrubs. This year is the last push towards that, so I am trying to get through this.”
Malan Jones, 2028, Nursing
“One of the main things I’m excited about Fall is for all the fun things like Peddler’s Village and New Hope, since it’s so beautiful in the Fall.”
Jude Figueroa, 2027, Psychology with a minor focus in Philosophy
My Summer Lookback:
One of my favorite memories from this past summer was going to the Elmwood Zoo. I have always wanted to go there (specifically to feed the giraffes), and I finally got to do that! The whole day was filled with little joys: playing with the goats, visiting the petting zoo, walking along all their paths, and taking it all in at a slower pace. I would definitely recommend going there for a more intimate zoo experience, if you’re looking for charm, Elmwood is the spot.
I always try to make the best of the summer, but truthfully, Fall is where I flourish. I am a Fall enthusiast, if you will. I’m looking forward to having a schedule filled with English classes, visiting as many haunted houses as possible, and working on developing new writing skills. If you think about it, it’s basically already Halloween.
Though these Summer months may be behind us, the memories are what keep them alive: Snapshots of warmth we can hold onto even as the air cools and routines return. Now, with backpacks on, schedules set, and Saxby’s buzzing again, it is clear that while Summer gave us these stories to remember, Fall is ready to allow us to create new ones. Here’s to carrying a little sunshine with us into the semester ahead.
If you’re ready to start planning your Fall activities, check out Fall Into Philadelphia.
Lily Marchiafava is a third-year English major with a minor focus in Creative Writing. She is an executive editor for Tri Lite, President of Writers Bloc, and on the Folio team. Lily’s interests include literature (particularly Victorian as of late), writing creatively, fashion, music, thrifting, and horror and romantic film.
hfutrilite.com 
Leave a comment