Must-Do Activities for College Students in Summer

Summer break offers a unique opportunity for college students to recharge, explore new interests, and prepare for the future. After two semesters filled with academic demands, it's time for a well-deserved break. Whether you're staying local or heading home, these months off provide the perfect chance to engage in enriching activities that you might not have time for during the school year. Here’s a comprehensive guide to making the most of your summer.

Career and Skill Development

Internships: Gaining Real-World Experience

A summer internship is an excellent way to apply what you've learned in the classroom and gain practical work experience. Even if it doesn't offer a salary, the insights and connections you'll gain are invaluable. Internships help you learn more about a business or industry and determine if a particular career path is right for you. Many colleges require students to complete an internship, and summer is the perfect time to do so without the added pressure of classes.

How to Find an Internship:

Network: Reach out to parents, teachers, and other adults who may have connections.
Research: Identify organizations in your field of study and contact them directly.
Online Search: Utilize online platforms to find available internship opportunities.
Create Your Own: If you don't find a suitable opening, reach out to companies you admire and propose an internship or apprenticeship.

Summer Jobs: Building Transferable Skills

Working a summer job, whether part-time or full-time, helps you acquire transferable skills such as communication, organization, time management, and administrative abilities. Admissions officers look for applicants with the maturity that comes from being part of the working world.

Benefits of a Summer Job:

Financial Management: Learn how to manage your earnings.
Responsibility: Demonstrate initiative and reliability.
Career Insights: Gain firsthand experience in a field you might want to study.

Entrepreneurship: Starting Your Own Business

Turn your passion or innovative idea into a business. Starting your own business takes confidence, leadership, resilience, and tenacity-qualities that will help you in your educational and career journeys. You'll gain valuable insights into the business world that can't be learned from a textbook.

Earning Career Certifications

It's never too early to earn career certifications. From software to cybersecurity, project management, and auto mechanics, professional certifications demonstrate your initiative and specialized knowledge. Many colleges and tech companies like Microsoft offer online certificate programs.

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Learning a New Skill

Expand your skill set beyond your major by learning a new skill to add to your resume. Look for courses relevant to the field or industry you want to enter.

Examples of Skills to Learn:

Coding
Graphic Design
Data Analysis
Digital Marketing

Academic Enrichment

Taking College Courses

Consider taking a class or two to make progress on your major. Many high schools and colleges offer dual enrollment opportunities for high school students to take college classes. These classes are often discounted and allow you to earn college credits, giving you a head start.

Benefits of Summer College Courses:

Accelerated Progress: Make headway on your degree requirements.
Explore Interests: Take classes that allow you to explore new subjects.
Demonstrate Initiative: Show colleges that you're proactive about your education.

Preparing for Upcoming Courses

Get a head start on upcoming courses by reviewing your notes from the past year and reflecting on your successes and challenges. Reach out to your instructors for recommendations on how to prepare for the fall semester. They might suggest research and readings to help build a strong foundation of knowledge.

Research and Study

Engage in research to deepen your understanding of a particular subject. Completing an undergraduate research project offers you a leg up on graduate programs and professional school admissions, helping you stand out from a pool of applicants.

How to Get Involved in Research:

Work in a Lab: Gain hands-on STEM skills.
Participate in Surveys: Contribute to studies.
Connect with Professors: Work with your favorite professor on a research project.

Test Preparation

If you are planning to apply to law school, business school or other graduate programs? Maximize your competitiveness by ramping up your study schedule. Summer is an ideal time to study for standardized tests such as the LSAT, GMAT and GRE, because you're able to focus and devote extra hours on test prep without the distraction and priority of classes during the academic year.

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Summer Reading

Catch up on summer reading. Get a head start on your fall reading list, if available, or make an effort to read a book in a field you're interested in studying. Summer is also a great time to pick up a leisurely book just for fun that you might not have time to read during the semester.

Personal Growth and Exploration

Volunteering and Community Service

Volunteering is vital for building strong communities and supporting those in need. It’s also good for your overall health and wellbeing and builds “soft skills” that will help you navigate college.

Benefits of Volunteering:

Community Impact: Make a positive difference in your community.
Skill Development: Build soft skills like communication and teamwork.
Career Exploration: Explore different career choices.

Study Abroad

Step into the world and join a summer study abroad program. Studying abroad gives you an immersive experience that will help you become a more informed global citizen in today’s interconnected world.

Benefits of Studying Abroad:

Global Perspective: Gain a deeper understanding of different cultures.
Personal Growth: Become more independent and adaptable.
Language Skills: Improve your foreign language skills.
Networking: Build a valuable network of international contacts.

Exploring Your City

Have a staycation! If you were a tourist in your town on vacation, what would you do? Try a walking tour of your city and learn about the secret gems and historical landmarks you may not have appreciated before.

Pursuing Hobbies and Interests

Indulge in hobbies or try a new one. Explore your interests and pursue your creativity by signing up for a class, lesson or group in your community.

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Examples of Hobbies to Explore:

Playing a musical instrument
Painting or drawing
Photography
Sewing
Self-defense

Individual Projects

Conduct your own individual project. Employers love a self-starter! Personal projects not only demonstrate your initiative and dedication, but also help you explore and develop skills needed in your career and are a great, practical way to beef up your resume.

Starting a Blog

Improve your writing skills by taking time to write every day. Starting a blog is a productive way to explore a topic of interest and practice important professional skills such as copywriting, outlining, editing and proofreading.

Taking in Some Culture

Take advantage of student discounts: go to a museum, attend a film festival, see a play or check out a music festival.

Finding a Mentor

Learning from someone with experience. A good mentor can help you grow immensely by advising you on career direction, making good decisions, establishing long-term goals, and determining actionable steps you should take toward them.

Relaxation and Recreation

Spending Time with Loved Ones

For most college students, going home for the summer means seeing family and friends that they are not often around during the school year. This summer, set apart some time to spend with the people from home whom you don’t get to see very often now that you’re in college.

Travel

Whether it’s with friends or family, traveling is always a fun activity to complete over the summer. While this can be stressful in some cases, it's usually a particularly exciting experience for most, with many people choosing to visit other cities, states and even countries.

Opting Outside

Enjoy the outdoors? Join a hiking or climbing club, go on fun outdoor adventures or day hiking trips, plan a camping trip with friends, or look into working at a summer camp or national park.

Bike Riding

Grab some friends & bikes (or rent a tandem bike for two or more) for a fun way to get out and get some exercise.

Camping with Friends

Organizing a camping trip during the school year can be a challenge. Your workload is heavy and the weather is not ideal. Summertime, however, is perfect for exploring the great outdoors.

Organizing a Picnic

What better way to enjoy the warm weather than to have a picnic with friends? Food, drinks, frisbee, kites, maybe an acoustic guitar… make it a potluck and invite everyone to bring their favorite dish to share.

Disconnecting & Taking it Outside

Turn off your phone, and go read in a park or on the beach. Do things you'd normally do indoors outside: an outdoor concert, Shakespeare in the park performance, movie screenings, etc.

Getting Crafty

You've finally got room to breathe and get creative - no reading assignments, no exams or study groups. Take some time to make something unique: scrapbooking, woodworking and DIY projects are great options.

Taking a Break

Make sure to recharge and relax this summer. After an action-packed year of learning, college students need time to destress, free of school and work duties. Taking time to relax during summer break is important and crucial to avoid burnout.

Preparing for the Upcoming School Year

Reviewing Your Notes

Prepare for your upcoming classes by reviewing your work and notes from the past year class, and reflect on your successes and challenges. Consider what you will do differently in the coming semester to maximize success.

Planning Extracurriculars & Clubs for the Fall

Getting involved in activities outside the classroom such as student clubs, sports and other pursuits enhances the college experience, providing invaluable opportunities for learning, networking and developing professional skills.

Getting to Know Your Advisor

Are you a new or transferring student, or changing your major this year? No need to wait until September to access resources and support from administrators on your campus.

Setting Up Systems for Success for the New Year

Do you struggle with time management and organization during the school year? Spend a little time now to plan for the upcoming semester to save time and frustration once school starts!

Fixing Up Your Résumé

Summer is the perfect to update your work and co-curricular experience (such as adding leadership roles and club involvements on campus) and really polish your résumé.

Selling or Donating Unused Items

Purge your closet & donate items you no longer need.

Spending Time Outside

Summer break is the perfect opportunity to spend some time in God’s creation - it's warm, often sunny and the trees are filled with bright green leaves.

Learning Something New

It might seem like you’ve just escaped from having to learn new things every day now that summer is here - but never fear! Learning new things during the summer doesn’t have to feel like a chore.

Spending Time Exploring Your Hometown

Moving out of your hometown to attend college means that changes can occur while you're away. So take time this summer to fall in love with your hometown like never before.

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