During my one and only summer vacation at Columbia (I only attended graduate school at Columbia), I took an internship working with the Central Park Conservancy. The internship involved cleaning, patinating, and waxing all of the bronze sculptures within the park. Sadly, it was during the hottest summer New York has had in at least the past 7 years, maybe longer. Numerous days over 100, and most in the 90s.... Still, despite the heat exhaustion, it was a good choice, giving me practical experience in my profession, and the chance to drive a cherry picker all over Central Park.

During my free time I took advantage of all of the free outdoor offerings NY has in the summer: Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center, opera in the parks, etc., and visiting family and friends on the west coast.