The scent of campfire and the sound of crickets fill the midwestern summer air. Warm Indiana nights bring back fond memories.

The midwest is known for our outdoor activities during the summer. Whether that be fishing, camping, or canoeing, theres something for everyone.

Junior Emmanuel Jackson enjoys his lake house on Lake Lemon every summer.

“Every summer, I go to my lake house and enjoy time with my friends and family to relax and enjoy the weather. I bring down friends to go fishing, and we spend the whole day out on the lake,” Jackson said.

Sophomore Cooper Cridlin spends a majority of his summer outdoors. Cridlin recommends people spend their summer the same way.

“Something I have tried in a recent summer that I would recommend to other people is getting outside more often and doing things with friends outside. Instead of staying inside, I like hanging out at parks and going on hikes. One time, my family and I went off a trail on a hike at Staves Hollow campground, and we ended up turning a three-mile hike into a nine-mile hike,” Cridlin said.

Junior Emma Tschopp is hoping to explore new coffee shops this summer. Her favorite coffee shop is Cellars Market.

“I want to explore new coffee shops because I love coffee and there has been a lot of new places open. My favorite coffee shop is Cellars Market because they have a back area that I like to do my homework in, and they have unique drinks and food,” Tschopp said.

Sophomore Beau Syers incorporates projects into his summer. Last summer, he built his own go kart.

“Something I tried last summer was to start a project I could easily finish during summer. I worked on it when I was bored or not doing anything else. For example, I built my own go kart. My favorite memory is when we went to go get the engine for it. I worked on it for a bit, and hearing it start up for the first time was insane,” Syers said.

For Jackson, competing in the Indiana State Cup for soccer is a symbol of summertime beginning. The first round of the State Cup takes place in the middle of May, and finals take place in the middle of June.

“The Indiana State Cup for soccer is a signal that summer has started because it is an annuel thing that I look forward to competing in. I will always remember the year that we won and ended up winning it all. We were down 1-2, and we ended up winning 3-2 in the final moments,” Jackson said.

Indiana weather can go from sunshine to rainstorms in a moment. Freshman Bryn Beaman spends her stormy days at different trampoline parks.

“When it is raining outside during the summer, my siblings and I usually go to a place like Sky Zone or Urban Air to pass time. My sister, my niece, and I went to Sky Zone and spent the whole day there,” Beaman said.

Tschopp prefers to spend her rainy summer days inside doing arts and crafts. 

“I love painting. It is one of my favorite hobbies. I prefer doing anything creative or crafty, but painting is definitely my favorite rainy day activity. This summer I won a mural contest and painted a huge mural in Bargersville. The whole community had a day where everyone came to paint, and it was so cool to see a piece of my art bring people together,” Tschopp said.

Indiana draws tourists during the summertime, primarily for its mix of small town atmosphere and local attractions. Greenwood in particular has gained many new visitors. Beaman recommends that visitors stop by places only available in Greenwood.

“I think new people should visit somewhere only Greenwood has, like Freedom Springs, Mrs. Curls, or the many pickleball courts at Freedom Park. I go to the pickleball courts a lot, especially at night. It is really fun to be with my friends,” Beaman said.