By Brianna Brinker, Staff Writer
Summer is just around the corner, and as much as college students look forward to it, it can also be a stressful time in a student’s life.
This is why having a balanced schedule of fun activities and travel plans is essential, along with finding networking opportunities and time to grow as an aspiring professional.
Finding the time to do something beneficial towards your degree can help you grow, learn, and explore new experiences.
It is beneficial to use your summer to do something that will help you gain experience in the professional world or to improve your resume.
Get creative and do something that will build your knowledge in your aspired career!
Most Saint Leo University students are encouraged to get an internship, some majors even require it. If you are a junior or senior, try to find an internship back home and use this summer to grow your skills and get college credit.
As for freshman and sophomores, the summer is a great time to research internships and plan on which ones you want to apply for.
Internships can be difficult to get so make sure to apply ahead of time and get your name out there.
Another great opportunity is working a summer job that is related to the career field you want to go into. If you are studying nursing, find a clinic or hospital in need of clinical assistants. If you are in the English field, find a local newspaper to work at.
Do research and apply for jobs through LinkedIn, for instance, or by reaching out through a firm’s email.
Internships and jobs are tough to get since the job market is competitive for every field. If you happen to not have the time for an internship or job this summer, there are great ways to continue to build your resume.
Certifications are great accomplishments to add to your resume and can set you apart from others. For example, if you are a business management major, look to get an entrepreneurship certification.
There are endless certifications you can take that will help you keep your mind focused on learning over summer break.
Other than certifications, you can also take summer classes at Saint Leo. If you are behind on credits, this is your time to catch up!
Take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way. Take a day to volunteer somewhere that is interesting to you or shadow someone in your desired profession.
For example, education majors, shadow a teacher for the day or if you are a communications major, take a tour of a news channel building (some offer tours to students).
“Now that summer vacation is quickly approaching, it is important for students to be productive for they’re almost four months away from school, in addition to having fun.” says Dr. Audrea Maxwell, Student Success Coach.
“Students can do summer classes to keep their minds academically stimulated, as well as find internships in their major programs while on summer vacation. Also, they can find volunteer opportunities that will allow them to work in areas they feel passionate about” said Maxwell.
Maxwell gives students a list of examples below of volunteer ideas for college students:
- Volunteering at summer camps – if they enjoy the outdoors while supporting and helping children.
- Volunteering at a local church VBS – vacation Bible school – if they are passionate about their spirituality and religion and again, they will be helping others/children and giving back to the community.
- Volunteering at a nursing home – They will be helping caretakers take care of the elderly while hearing narratives from the generations before them. Very rewarding!
“By helping and supporting others during the summer months, students will find the value of service and still enjoy what time they have as they appreciate the time for themselves or with their friends and family” said Maxwell.
These little things might seem small, but they are productive things to do in the summer.
There are so many ways to make your summer productive as a college student, but it’s also important to focus on taking a break. Balance between fun and work is important for college students’ mental health.
Make sure to have fun with your hometown friends that you don’t get to see all that often or go on a vacation with your family.
Take a road trip with your best friends, spend the day in the pool, travel somewhere new, watch the sunset, or have a long beach day.
Being productive doesn’t always mean it has to always be about work, it can mean making the most out of your summer in a fun way as well.
Whenever you have the chance, spend time with your loved ones and closest friends. Make memories of this summer and relax, just as much as using this summer to get out of your comfort zone and do things that are beneficial to your academic life.
