While The Trend’s editors are busy writing and editing articles, they also have a life beyond that. The editors are doing all kinds of sorts of things this summer. Hear from each of them to see what they are all up to. 

Matthew Yokum, Editor-in-Chief 

This summer has gone by a lot faster than I expected it to. When you’re nearing your senior year of college, like me, you wish it would slow down more.

Personally, my entire summer was put on hold starting back in April. Back then, the NBA playoffs were set to begin, and I knew my Oklahoma City Thunder had a long road ahead of them towards the ultimate goal of an NBA Championship. Since I have kept up with every game they played all the way through the finals.

The hardest part about following the Thunder was the stress you felt knowing this could be the end of the season for your team. OKC was almost knocked out of the playoffs twice, but luckily, in game seven of the Finals, OKC finished on top and were crowned champions, giving the state of Oklahoma the best excuse to party they could ask for.

Outside of cheering on my Thunder, I’ve also gotten the opportunity to work as an intern for FC Tulsa, Oklahoma’s only professional soccer team. My duties as a matchday intern include hanging banners across the stadium, cleaning suites, escorting fans to the field, taking down everything we’ve set up at the end of the night, and more.

This opportunity has been great for me and given me an inside look as to how a sports organization is run. In my future endeavors, I will always be able to look back at FC Tulsa and thank them for the opportunity and for their generosity. My work in Tulsa has paved the way for a career working in sports and I hope that someday I can look back at my summer experience with the team and be proud of where I ended up.

Later in July, I’m excited to see comedian and actor Shane Gillis. Gillis has become one of my favorite comedians in recent years for his style of comedy that doesn’t ask for forgiveness. I’ve also been a fan of his Netflix series “Tires” and getting to see him perform live will be a fun experience. This is one of the last things I truly have planned for my summer, anything else will be last minute. Needless to say for my first comedy show, I have high hopes.

Cassie Srock, News Editor

Summertime is the time of the year I always look forward to. The smell of sunscreen, fresh cut grass, and chlorine. Spending all day outside at the pool or lake getting tan. Watermelon, snow cones, hot dogs and burgers. I have been busy this summer so far nonetheless. 

I took an internship position at Borrowed Charm, which is an event, rentals, and styling company. I worked my first wedding on May 31, at the Range located in Stillwater. I worked my second wedding on June 20, at Aspen Ranch in Edmond. At these weddings I was an assistant to the head wedding planner. My coworkers warned me of having a wedding hangover from working 15 plus hours these days; shocker the hangovers are pretty bad. When I am not working weddings or events, I am sitting in on meetings with head planners or working out in the two warehouses. 

Aside from my internship, I did an Independent Study during May. I designed and painted the Student Section Mural in the Fieldhouse with Maddyson McMorris. I also made a tri-fold brochure to inform people about it. You should totally go pop over to the Fieldhouse and see the Mural in person for yourself. 

I also started my own custom painted banner business. It is called Southern Draw. Go follow my instagram at SouthernDrawBanners to order banners and see what is up. 

Crazy enough I am taking summer classes too. Between all that I am trying to squeeze in family time and summer relaxation. 

Thomas Buchanan, Entertainment Editor

I went into this summer with a few straightforward goals: get outside, get some larger projects done, dedicate time for getting together with friends, and work more hours and grow my savings, all things that are hard to fit in with classes in the fall and spring. 

With it halfway gone now, I feel like I haven’t met as many of these summer goals as I would have liked. I’ve spent some time with friends, but work and class schedules seem to line up worse in the summer, especially for those of us not on campus this time of year.  

It takes a real effort to make plans work, whether it’s a road trip, concert, or just grabbing a drink. There’s no shame at all in reaching out and making attempts to get together, even if it doesn’t work out. The times that it does more than make up for it.  

I’ve been getting outside with walks in my neighborhood and weekly pickleball, but before the summer is over, I’d really like to do some hiking and camping. There are so many great areas for it in Oklahoma that I want to return to or explore.  

One of my big projects is working on my 1979 Fiat X1/9, which has been my daily driver the last couple of years. It has some recurring issues, and recently I got another car to not put so much wear and tear on it from the amount of driving I do. I have some upgrades and repairs to install to make it more reliable so I can take it out without worrying.  

I’ve been glad I was saving because of some unexpected expenses the last couple of months. Shortly after leaving campus, my house was hit by an intense hailstorm that heavily damaged all my family’s vehicles, breaking the windshield and cratering the roof of the car I had just bought. 

On the bright side, some expenses are for fun things as well. There are some trips coming up, including going to see one of my favorite bands, America, on tour in Kansas City the end of this month, and going with the rest of the Student Government Association (SGA) executive team to Boston for the American Student Government Association (ASGA) Student Government Training Conference in August. 

I’ve also been able to work more at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which opened their summer exhibition in June featuring the photography of Ansel Adams, whose subjects mainly focus on the beauty of national parks. Working with that gallery has really increased my itch to visit one soon. There’s still time left of summer 2025, and I’m looking forward to making the most of it. 

Whitley Brown, Feature Editor

Summer, arguably the favorite season of most, is running in full force. Throughout what seems to be Oklahoma’s record heat waves and rainfall, I have coursed through my own stream of activities.

Here recently, I have been catching up on some fun reads, spending time with my boyfriend, hanging around with both his and my family, and taking every chance possible to soak up some summer sun, especially after all the winter weather this past January and February. I’m not much for the negative temperatures, so this weather has been my favorite. However, it’s a little too intense, but at least it’s not cold!

Later in the summer, I’m hoping to go kayaking with some family along with celebrating my birthday that falls just before school starts! I’m very excited for all that summer has in store for me!