With the summer so close that you can almost taste it, many of us college students might be packing up for great internship opportunities in an exciting new city or getting ready to jet off on exotic family vacations or study abroad opportunities. But, if you’re like me, you are just getting ready to move out of your dorm and right back home for the next couple months. Whether this situation is by choice or not, being home for the summer can present lots of different opportunities to you! So, this summer, in between bickering with your siblings and trying to avoid people you went to high school with at the grocery store, try one of my suggestions to help you get the most out of your staycation!
1: Get a new summer job
If you already have a job you’re happily coming back to this summer, then great! If this isn’t the case, take the opportunity to find a way to make some money to use for the next school year. Look for jobs that you can relate to your major for the possibility of an educational experience or look for something you’ve never done before and maybe learn a new skill! Sometimes it can be helpful to go talk to small, local businesses and see if they need help – these are often the jobs that might give you the most interesting work!
PC: College Magazine
2: Get involved in volunteer work
The great thing about summer, no matter where you are, is that it can be the ideal time to work on building up your resume with community service experience. One way to do this is to look for volunteer work in your hometown. Look to local shelters, churches, hospitals, and even schools to see if there’s any help they need. Not only is it something that will make you feel good, it will also round out your resume a little bit more!
PC: Home Bunch
3: Build your portfolio for future job searches
Along with working on your resume, use these few months to build or improve on your portfolio. If you aren’t sure what a portfolio in your major should look like, talk to your professors or upperclassmen before you leave campus to see examples. From here you can start putting all your best work in one place to present to employers. Doing this while being on break could take away some of the stress during the next semester, especially if you will be prepping to go to career and internship fairs.
PC: Christiana
4: Find a new hobby
Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never tried? Or maybe something you used to do as a kid but since stopped? Then do something new this summer! Find something in your community that is new to you and take chance by trying it. Look for what kind of classes your local gym offers, check around town to see if there are any interesting groups that might meet, or maybe just find something online that you can do from home.
PC: Kellyn
5: Plan a mini-vacation
While you might wish you could hop on a plane to Europe for a few weeks, this isn’t always a possibility. Instead, try planning a small vacation with your family or friends! If you have the funds, try renting a hotel room for two nights at a nearby beach or lake front. Another option is always to camp out at home! Call up the friends you haven’t seen all year and set aside a few days to camp in your backyard. This can be a great way to chill out for a weekend and refresh. Don’t forget to have a bonfire and roast s’mores!
PC: Kellyn
6: Make time for your family
Above all this summer, make sure you savor the time you get to spend at home. Soon enough you’ll be out in the world on your own and wish you could wake up to your dad making breakfast or spontaneously go on a road trip with your mom. Use these couple months at home to check in with your parents, grandparents, or anyone else you consider family. Call your grandma and see if she wants to go shopping, learn how to make your dad’s favorite food with him, or go visit your aunt and uncle for a weekend. Make new memories with your family before you get too busy with the new semester to go and visit!
PC: Kellyn
Even if you didn’t plan to stay at home all summer, don’t look at it as a negative thing! No matter what it’s still summer, you’re still on a break, and now you have time to do these great things. Happy summer collegiettes – remember to make the most of your time off!
Cover Photo: Unsplash