4 Ways to Spend a University Summer

Undergrad is a time to learn, move out, make new friends, grow and have fun. For many students it is the first time they have experienced real freedom and in some cases the undemanding course schedule can encourage too much socialising and not enough focus. For others, university is the time they push themselves to do more in and out of the classroom. They get involved in school activities, form strong beliefs, do summer internships and semesters abroad. No matter what your style of learning, there are many ways to take advantage of the long university summers, including:

Summer jobs:

For many students, a summer job is necessary to help them pay their tuition, or at least keep them afloat while they're not in school. For others it is something to do to build their CV and keep them busy. With four months off there are many opportunities to find work and make a bit of cash. A lot of students choose to bartend, work at summer camps, to work for the city they live in or maybe do seasonal work like construction, or landscaping.

Internships:

Those students willing to work for no pay, have a much better chance of obtaining work in an interesting field such as banking, law, media, architecture or publishing. A lot of students recognise the benefits of combining their academic work with practical experience and as a result apply for summer internships or training programmes set up for university students. While they may not be financially compensated the experience they are getting and contacts they are making will make it easier for them to obtain paid work in their chosen field when graduation is done.

Summer courses:

A lot of students choose to fast track their academic schedule by taking additional courses during the summer. Some may register for a schedule as intensive or even more intensive than the one they have all year. Others may choose to do a couple of courses while working part time. Summer is also a good time to take those elective courses you may not have time to enjoy during the year, like oil painting or music appreciation.

Tree planting:

Tree planting is an activity done by a lot of students during the summer. Young, strong outdoor types head out into rural areas for a few months and spend all day sewing seeds and doing outdoor work. Tree planters are usually paid based on the number of trees they plant, which inspires a competitive nature amongst the group and with themselves.

There are many ways to take advantage of the four months one has off during university. Having already passed that stage of my life, I only encourage you to use the time wisely, because this time in your life is very brief.

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