The end of the semester is fast approaching for many of us college students, and we are eager to trade our final exams, projects, and presentations for the tan skin, crystal ocean waters, and the warm and welcoming sun. While the weather clearly reflects longer, warmer days, the calendar still clearly shows that school is in session. The prospect of summer includes an array of things our minds are generating excitement: no schoolwork, fun in the sun, friends and family, adventures, and millions of memories just waiting to be made.
Even though school is still going on, many of us have honestly “mentally checked out.” We have switched into summer mode and are ready for the exciting adventures the days hold and the epic parties the nights bring. We’re ready to return home, welcome back in the environment and atmosphere we haven’t seen since Christmas, and embrace the lifelong friends we cherish that chose a different college journey. Summer is getting closer every day, and the thought of it is simultaneously liberating and inviting. To be able to have a wonderful and eventful summer, leaving university on a high note is the way to go.
Summer provides loads of opportunities for college students to take some well-deserved time off or take advantage of other present options to get ahead, gain experience, and be ready to enter the real world in a timely fashion. To make the most of your summer, consider these awesome ways to relax or be productive.
1. Get a summer job or internship related to your major. It will greatly increase your knowledge of your field and provide you with a way of seeing what you would like to do in the future. Not to mention making you more marketable among the competition!
2. Volunteer. There are so many volunteer opportunities surrounding every neighborhood and city. Go to the local animal shelter for the afternoon, sort clothes at your local Goodwill or low-cost clothing store, visit elderly people at the nursing home and brighten up their day, or volunteer at the local soup kitchen. Whatever volunteer opportunities you pursue, make sure they are meaningful and genuine. Keep track of your volunteering and add it to your resume, so potential employers can see your community service and passion for helping others.
3. Pursue a passion. There are so many different things that are worth trying; find your courage and take a leap of faith. Sign up for a cooking class or join a book club at the local library. Find what excites you and pursue it.
4. Reconnect with nature. The sunny days and welcoming environment and scenery create the perfect setting. Go to your local nature park or environmental setting and connect with it. Go on a hike and explore your surroundings. Take in the beauty that the Earth holds at one of the most breathtaking times of the year.
5. Find your courage and go on adventures. Summer isn’t a time for sitting inside in front of a television screen, laptop or phone. It’s about doing things that you wouldn’t normally do and doing something new, exciting, and different every day. Ride the highest roller coaster at the amusement park, climb the highest peak and camp there for the night, or swim with the sea animals on your exotic vacation. Whatever adventures you go on, make sure to have fun.
6. Make memories. Don’t spend a summer wondering what you could have done or who you could have spent it with. Every day is a new opportunity for something to be done. Grab it full-force and never regret a moment.
I know that our minds are being consumed with overwhelming thoughts of finals and epic summer plans, and it’s all very exciting and happening so fast. Summer is the perfect time to do the things that make you happy and surround yourself with positivity. Happy summer!!