As your student finishes up finals week and comes home for the summer, the first thing they may want to do is sleep, binge watch some Netflix and sleep some more. After they catch up on those much-deserved, much-needed Z’s, encourage them to spend the summer setting themselves up for success.
Lounging around without structure and goals for the summer, while sounding good in theory, could set your student up to be less productive through the summer than they would be with some scheduled time. Let your student have the downtime they desire and deserve, but encourage them to have a successful summer, so they will have an easier transition back when they return in the fall.
Here are seven suggestions to set them up for a successful summer break!
Secure an Internship
Without classes and studying taking up a majority of their time, summer can be the perfect opportunity for them to get the internship of their dreams. Many students are required to have an internship as part of their major, but even those who are not required could find many benefits in holding a summer internship.
Internships provide hands-on experience that your student needs to be prepared for their future. They are able to take the skills they learned in the classroom and apply them in a real-world setting, possibly for the first time. In addition to the hands-on application, internships allow your student to network within their chosen career field. Oftentimes, a great networking connection can lead to a career opportunity after graduation.
Encourage your student to speak with their advisor to see if a summer internship is right for them.
Read a Book
Everyone should spend some of their free time reading. Whether your student has a fiction book that has been waiting patiently on their shelf all semester, or they found a brand new book on a topic related to their major, encourage your student to pick up that book up this summer. By spending just a few minutes reading each day, your student could easily finish more than one book by the end of the summer. Remind your student that this is their chance to read something not on a required reading list!
Work on their Personal Brand
Just as important as a resume and cover letter is your student’s personal brand. Encourage your student to take this time to consider what they want their personal brand to develop into, and what it will take to get them there.
One facet of their brand that can be easily managed over the summer is their social media presence. While they may be immersed in social media, they may not be immersed at a professional level. Encourage your student to review their social media platforms and remove any content that may be seen as unprofessional by a future employer. The photos from last weekend’s party may be fun, but probably aren’t going to impress their future boss and could even prevent them from getting hired.
If your student doesn’t have a LinkedIn account, let them know that it is a great tool for networking and professional development. LinkedIn should act as a supplement to their resume, as there are many job opportunities listed on LinkedIn, and their potential boss may look at their profile before making a hiring decision.
Volunteer
Your student has likely pursued passions that they had in high school, or discovered completely new ones. Encourage your student to pursue these passions further over the summer by volunteering. Volunteering is a humbling experience that will help them develop into a well-rounded individual – which is one of the reasons they are in college. During the busy school year, they may not have time to pursue these passions outside of the classroom, so there is no better time than summer to take part in a volunteer project.
Learn a New Skill
During the school year, your student is likely so busy learning what they need for their field of study, that they don’t have time to pursue other interests. Whether they have an interest that they just haven’t had time to develop, or they want to gain another skill that will help them professionally, summer is a great time to develop secondary skills. There is plenty of time for them to finally pick up that musical instrument gathering dust in the corner, or break out their computer and learn how to code. There are plenty of free resources online for learning new skills, and they always have access to Missouri Western’s online library resources over the summer. Encourage your student to think about their goals for the future and develop a skill that will help them succeed.
Get Healthy
College can be a stressful time. As finals week approaches and they are working on papers and projects galore, your student probably isn’t making the healthiest decisions. Sometimes after a long night of studying, all they want to do is curl up in bed with Netflix and a whole bag of chips. Several weeks of poor eating habits, poor sleep and lack of exercise can leave them feeling groggy, lethargic and just unmotivated.
Encourage your student to take some time this summer for their health. They may not want to join a gym for the summer, but there are many fun activities that they can do outside. From a bike ride through a park, to a hiking trip with friends, there are plenty of activities to keep them busy and healthy! Exercise will keep them upbeat and motivated throughout the summer, which will make it easier for them to transition back into college life in the fall – where they’ll go back to slamming a whole pizza before the big test on Monday.
Earn Some Extra Money
If none of the other summer options appeal to your student, there is still another option for a successful summer. They can take a part-time job at a business, do some yard work or babysitting, or even take up freelance writing to earn some extra cash throughout the summer. If they spend the time this summer saving up money, they won’t have to work as much in the fall, allowing them more time to focus on their studies. Freeing up some time this summer to work will make the rest of the year easier because they will have the extra cash they need to get at least part of the way through the year.
No matter what your student chooses to do this summer, encourage them to make the best of it. They can lounge around and enjoy their free time, but they should also take some of that free time to be productive and keep developing as an individual. Even if they only choose one thing from this list, they’ll have a more productive time than they would have had otherwise, and will hopefully be ready to return when school starts back up at the end of August!