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It’s easy to let your summer break pass by spending the whole time recovering from college. However, it’s equally important to avoid trying to do too much. To have a well-rounded summer break, you need to find a balance between productive activities and rest. There are a few things you should consider fitting into your schedule.

1. Search for an Internship

Gain relevant work experience using some of your summer to work an internship. Apply for positions that will allow you to try out a particular career or apply the skills you’ve learned at college in real-world situations. As well as giving you something to put on your resume, an internship may earn you a salary.

If none of the companies you’d most like to work for are offering summer internships, reach out to them to ask if they’d be willing to create an opportunity for you. Although such a position is less likely to pay, it will mean you’re more likely to do work you enjoy, build valuable connections, and even receive an offer for a job you’d love after you graduate.

2. Work a Summer Job

If earning some money over the summer is a priority, you may prefer to look for a summer job. This could be full-time, part-time, or freelance. Choose something that will fit around the other activities you want to do over the summer and teach you useful skills, if possible.

3. Volunteer

For more flexibility but still the chance to gain transferable skills, consider volunteering. There’s no shortage of opportunities, meaning you should be able to find a program for a cause that matters to you. Look for options close to where you live or abroad. A volunteer program abroad may mean you dedicate full weeks to supporting a non-profit, festival, or community group, whereas one close to home may require just a few hours a week.

4. Continue Studying

There are various ways to keep up with your academics over the summer. For instance, you could earn college credit by taking summer classes on campus or by studying abroad. Finding a course abroad is another way to travel over the summer while feeling like you’re doing something productive. You’ll also develop your independence and learn how to adapt to another culture at the same time as meeting people from all over the world.

If the kind of work you want to do after you graduate requires additional skills you won’t learn at college, you may like to dedicate time to learning one of these skills this summer. Possible options include coding, foreign languages, and web design. Sign up for a course or teach yourself using online resources.

5. Find Time for Hobbies

Make sure you have fun over the summer by practising your hobbies. This may also be the perfect time to explore a new interest, especially if there are classes or groups you can join. You may like to think about how you’ll be able to continue practising your hobby when you’re back at college, such as through clubs or with friends on weekends.

6. Spend Time Reading

When you have some downtime over the summer, read. For instance, you could start working through your fall reading list to get ahead. Alternatively, you may prefer to read whatever you want — choose a combination of books you want to read for fun and books related to your major.

7. Play Sports

Improve your fitness by finding a sport or other physical activity you enjoy. Search for teams to join or classes to take, such as for yoga, pilates, or spinning.

You should also use this summer break to improve your housing next semester by looking for student rentals. Barrie has a brand new community at Arcadian Students. Located less than a 10-minute walk from campus, it has everything you need, including fibre internet, in-suite laundry facilities, and a fitness centre. We still have some leases available for this year — contact us for details.