I haven’t had a real summer since 2021. Over the past few weeks, I have had to come up with experiences and activities to complete during my time off from school to make the most of my break. Being at home from May to early August will give me ample time to relax and destress, but I can also see myself getting bored and wanting to do something to boost my resume and prepare me for my next school semester. Here is my summer bucket list that will inspire you to stay productive during your break from school:
1. Get an internship or job
While this might seem obvious, summer is the perfect time for an internship or job. Experience is so important when applying for jobs or graduate school. Internships and jobs allow us to apply the knowledge we have gained. According to Post University, internships also help people expand on their transferable skills, develop professional connections, enhance their resume, build friendships, increase their likelihood of receiving direct job offers, improve job stability, allow people to have a higher salary potential, offer the chance to refine career goals and help one build confidence. You not only receive credits from an internship, but you can also get paid. It can be challenging for college students to have enough time to get paid while completing schoolwork, so saving up over the summer is really helpful. I already have a paid internship lined up that I am really excited about so I can hopefully get a stronger idea of my career path.
2. Volunteer
While you won’t get paid for completing volunteer work, you will greatly improve the lives of those around you. Volunteering in your community is super powerful and will teach you many valuable life skills. Most of the time, you can create your own schedule and do as much or as little as you desire. This flexibility is beneficial when you also want to spend your time doing other activities.
3. Hang out with hometown friends
I don’t know about you, but it is now becoming rare for me to be able to spend time with my hometown friends. We all have different breaks, and most of us are at schools in different states. The far distance between our schools and different breaks makes it almost impossible to see one another. This summer, I cannot wait to finally be able to spend a greater amount of time with the people I have grown up beside.
4. Make plans to see your college friends
While home for a few months, I can already see myself wanting to spend time with all the friends I made during my freshman year of college. Luckily, most of us live in Florida, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a time when we can all meet up again.
5. Indulge in your hobbies
You have time to do it all. For one, I am excited to start playing tennis again. I played competitively throughout middle and high school, but since going to UF, I have only played three times. I love the sport so much, but it has been hard for me to carve out time in my schedule to play. I am also glad that I will have more time to exercise and write.
6. Explore your hometown
Even though I have lived in the same small town for my entire life, and I always complain that it is really boring whenever I am there, I don’t want to leave. Although there aren’t many attractions and not many people, there are still new businesses that I can explore. Additionally, sometimes it is fun to act like a tourist or visit all of your favorite places.
7. Explore nearby towns
I love going to nearby towns to shop, eat or explore. It is so fun to see what is around; each town is unique. I always go out of town to shop because my town has very few stores. Looking online or on social media is a great way to learn about what is nearby.
8. Travel
Traveling is another thing that I absolutely love to do. I enjoy learning about new places and experiencing different cultures. I am grateful that my family and I are going on a vacation this summer to places we have never been. This will give us plenty of time to recharge, bond and tour new places.
9. Prepare for the fall
Something that is not so fun but very helpful is preparing for the fall semester. Whether getting a head start on some of your courses or finding extracurriculars to join, anything is better than nothing. Creating a routine, planning and gathering essentials for the year ahead will make your transition back to campus in August 10 times better.
10. Take a summer course
Taking a summer course has many benefits. It gets you ahead in your coursework, can lighten your schedule in the upcoming semesters and can give you more time to focus on a more challenging class. I will be taking this summer off since I did Summer B in 2022, but I plan on returning to take classes over the summer of 2024.
Overall, I am excited to spend my summer break in my hometown surrounded by longtime friends and family. While I am sad to say goodbye to my freshman year, I am ready to no longer have to study and complete millions of assignments. This summer, I will focus on setting my future self up for success while also completing activities that bring me joy. I will complete an internship and schoolwork here and there, but I will also spend time with friends, indulge in my hobbies, travel and explore my hometown. I cannot wait for summer 2023!