Don’t have your summer planned out yet? Not to worry! It’s not too late, and there are plenty of things you can do. There are pros and cons to all of your options, but they’re all good. Any sort of experience will look good on a resume if you frame it the right way, and you can always learn something. Here are some suggestions to help you figure your summer out:
Get a job back home
This is the standard summer activity, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Investigate job postings in and near your hometown, call up local businesses that may not have jobs posted online, and explore social media related to your town. My hometown has a Facebook page for general town news, and another one that functions as a babysitting network. If you’re offering babysitting, nannying, or tutoring services, post that on social media and tell friends and family who can help get the word out. You can also ask people you know from home if there are any opportunities where they work.
Find an internship
Her Campus has a job board that may help you out, and you can also do some online searches. The Career Center may also be able to help you look, and if you’ve completed some of their workshops you should have access to HPIN, a netowrk where alumni post internships. It’s also helpful to use your networking skills and talk to people you know and contacts you’ve made, because you never know what will come up. An internship is a great way to get experience in a field you’re interested in.
Stay on campus
It may betoo late to get involved in most goings-on that are happening on campus this summer, but it’s never too late to ask your professors if there’s something you can do. Even if it doesn’t work out, it will let them know that you’re interested, and something may happen in the future.
Volunteer
Volunteering is a great thing to do with your time. You can choose to help a cause that’s important to you and become more engaged with your community. Some volunteers will have to apply for more advanced positions, and not every program will need additional help, but you can usually find a way to get involved.
Travel
Not everyone has the means to travel over the summer, but not every trip needs to be a huge expensive vacation. There are some summer academic programs that take you abroad or to new parts of the country, and they usually try to keep prices somewhat reasonable. You can also try traveling with friends and pooling resources so you can find transportation deals, cheap airbnb stays, or even crash with friends and relatives. Whether you’re working, volunteering, taking classes, or just trying new things, traveling is a great thing to do if you can.
Nothing!
Okay, not really nothing. That’ll probably get old fast. But while it’s a great idea to get career experience or try new things if you can, don’t feel like you have to if you need a break (although remember that not every internship will last the whole summer). Visit friends and family, take care of your physical and mental wellbeing, and either try a new hobby that you’ve always wanted to, or revisit one that’s been neglected while at school.