Summer 2019 is almost upon us. This can mean completely different things for us depending upon personal preferences, our academic goals, and even our career goals. A summer well spent leads to a future semester of contentment. Here are some potential summer goals to have as a student (if you’re not working and decide to spend your summer a different way, of course):
1) Standardized testing:
Summer means a four-month break from school, which means you have a lot of autonomy to do whatever you want to do. This is the ideal time to study for the DAT, LSAT, GRE, or whatever other tests you need to take to get into grad school. Plan your summer schedule wisely, so you can decide what you’re doing each week to prepare you for your test. Then take your test when you feel comfortable. This is your one-way ticket to grad school.
2) Summer school:
The summer also means that you can take a semester’s worth of courses to make up for a bad GPA, or even retake a course to boost your GPA. The summer can also be the time to improve if you failed a course. This can set you on the right track for a timely graduation and ensures you’re following whatever timeline you set. Use your summer wisely, and meet with an advisor to ensure you can maximize your productivity.
3) Travel:
The past semester might have stressed you out to the point where you need a break. Take the summer off. Delete your social media, hop on a plane, and spend the next few months on a tropical beach. Not only will you come back feeling less stressed, but you will be ready to bring your A-game when school resumes. Book that vacay early!
4) Be a social butterfly:
During the school year, you may not get to see all your friends. With the summer approaching you can easily make time to see the squad. You can arrange little coffee dates, or even book an Airbnb for your friends to get away for a few weeks. This can allow everyone to catch up and spend a little quality time together before school resumes.
5) Grad applications:
The summer can be the ideal time to start looking for references, getting your transcripts, and updating your resume. This is the perfect time to get everything in check for graduate school before the application cycle opens. This can give you a head start to ensure you’re on time when submitting your documents. Start getting organized!
A summer well-spent can lead to months of productivity, less stress, and future career success. This is why it is important to plan wisely and smartly. This leads to less stress and anxiety down the line when you’re trying to manage school and other commitments. These commitments can be very pressing and you may struggle to try to balance them along with school. Use your summer wisely! Start planning now.