Summer break is back again, the weather is clearing up, and we students have some much deserved time on our hands! What do we do with ourselves? Well, there is a little known secret that what we do over summer break is really what sets us apart from the crowd when we start applying to grown-up jobs. This is where we can truly gain some much needed experience, get ahead in college credits, volunteer for a good cause, and so much more. There are countless ways to make your college summer break more productive, so let’s find out more, shall we?
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Start with a College Summer Break Plan:
Quick check! Are you an incoming college freshman? If so, you should check out: 20 Essential Things to Do the Summer Before College Starts! Pair that with this post and you will be set!
Okay now before we dive in, let’s quickly talk about planning. Before you hit summer break, consider creating a summer attack plan. It doesn’t have to be intense, it could be half filled with a summer bucket list with ideas like “go to the beach for a date,” and “read 10 books.” Starting your summer with a decent attack plan will ensure you get more things done! Another great way to be more productive is to use a productivity timer, easy to use and super effective! If you have some projects you need to knock out, check out my ultimate guide to project planning (includes a freebie!).
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Productivity-54 Tips that will Change your Life!
Make some Much Needed Money:
The first few things we can do over our college summer break is get our finances in check. College is expensive! No big surprise there… So let’s get our finances in order and build up some cash for upcoming school year.
- Start a Side Hustle: Blogging is, hands down, the absolute best side hustle you can start up while in college. There are so many amazing reasons to start a blog, including the opportunity to make some serious cash and beef up your resume. It is pretty easy to set up and the summer is the perfect time to begin! Check out this post on how to start a blog and this post on the best class to take to get you going (and the only class you’ll ever need to take in the blogging world). PS: HERE is a free five-day blogging crash course offered by my favorite bloggers over at It’s A Lovely Life. Check it out!
Sign up for the FREE 5-Day Start A Money Making Blog Crash Course
- Work a Part-Time or Full-Time Job: Another great way make some money is obviously to work over the summer. Jobs with tips are a great way to quickly make money. But jobs in your future career field are way better!
- Apply for Scholarships: Many people don’t realize this, but when applying to scholarships, you make more money by the hour than (nearly) any other job you will have in your lifetime. Think about it, if it takes you two hours to apply for a $1,000 scholarship, and you get it, you basically just got paid $500 an hour! That is a pretty good use of time! If you’re looking for more guidance at applying for scholarships, check out this post on my 12 winning pieces of advice and this post for my ultimate #1 tip.
- Work on Grant Applications (grad students): Summer is the perfect time to start knocking out some graduate student grant applications. Especially if you are having some down time from your class and thesis work. Speaking of grad school, this post covers my top tips and resources for grad students.
- Create a Budget to get your Finances in Check: Creating a budget is absolutely the number one way to manage your money, both during and after college. I can’t stress this enough. Having some time off during summer is a great time to begin creating the perfect budget for yourself for the next year. Check out this post on how to create the perfect budget (includes a freebie!) and this post on my ultimate guide to saving money in college.
Related: 21 Legit Ways to Make a TON of Extra Cash
Beef up Your Resume:
Next up, let’s talk about beefing up our resume over college summer break. This is a perfect time to get some much needed experience under our belts that you wouldn’t otherwise have time for. The good news is that many companies and organizations expect a ton of student interest during this time, so countless opportunities open up! So, how can you better your resume over college summer break? Let’s dive in.
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- Complete an Internship: The best way to get your name out there and get some serious experience built up is through internships. Unfortunately, only about half of internships are paid, which is why I highly recommend starting a blog at the same time. Try to find a mentor, gain as much knowledge as you can, and begin networking as soon as you get there!
- Volunteer for a Good Cause: Another great way to gain some experience is to volunteer. No matter how much time you commit to, it will be incredibly beneficial no matter what. If you’re looking for a good place to start researching local volunteer groups, start with your city call and local community groups, such as your local Lions Club.
- Study Abroad: Summer is one of the best times to study abroad. There are countless reasons to study abroad, like seeing the world, gaining some credit hours, networking, and so much more. As an added bonus, it is actually a lot cheaper than you might think. And there are thousands of scholarships out there to help you out! If you’re interested in studying abroad, check out my ultimate guide! And, if you are in need of some inspiration on why you should absolutely study abroad, check out this post.
- Learn a New Language: Whether or not you decide to study abroad, you can absolutely learn a new language over the summer. This is a great resume booster and is a lot of fun! You can always start with great apps like the famous Rosetta Stone and even take a community college evening course! (They are surprisingly cheap and you don’t have to transfer it over to your home university if you don’t want to…)
- Begin Networking: No matter which direction your summer takes you, I recommend you setup a LinkedIn account and begin networking. I also HIGHLY recommend creating your own business cards ASAP (these are super easy to make from home!). The sooner you begin, the more you will be thanking yourself in the future.
- Join a Professional Organization: One of the best pieces of advice I have been given in college is to join a professional organization. This has increased my network ten-fold and given me career opportunities I would never have even dreamed. The good news is there are professional organizations in nearly all career fields. It might be scary at first but just begin attending monthly or weekly meetings and you will get more comfortable soon enough!
- Learn a New Career Skill: Finally, no matter which path you take through the summer, gaining a new career skill is incredibly important. This may include learning a new computer programming language, how how to use specific software that is important in your career field, or even how to simply use Microsoft Office! Research your career to see what would be best for you.
Related: 10 Foolproof Steps to Finding your Dream Career
Get Ahead of the Game:
Perhaps you’re looking to get ahead in your college career over the summer. Or simply just become more prepared for the upcoming fall semester. Your college summer break is the perfect time to begin planning for your future and getting ahead in the game.
- Take some Summer Classes: Summer classes may not be incredibly popular but are a great way to get ahead in college credits. You can do this at your home university or, what I recommend, at a local community college and transfer them. You’ll save a ton of money that way! But, make sure your university allows it…
- Prepare for the Upcoming Fall Semester: You will have to eventually begin preparing for the upcoming fall semester. Be sure to check out my back to school guide, college semester preparation checklist (includes a freebie!) and student printable planner!
Related: Organize Your Life with the Only Student Printable Planner You’ll Ever Need in School
- Begin Researching Graduate Schools or Future Job Opportunities: Now is the perfect time to start researching your next move after you graduate college. Are you heading off to grad school? Perhaps there is a new internship on the horizon? HERE is my grad school complete guide!
- Study for Future Entrance or Licensing Exams: Depending on your future plans, you may need to pass a graduate entrance exam (such as the GRE or GMAT for most grad programs, LSAT for law school, MCAT for med school and the TOEFL for international grad students). You may also need to take a licensing exam after you graduate (such as the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam for engineers). Most of these exams require a minimum of 3 months of study time… better start now!
- Research/Decide Your Future Career Path: Perhaps you haven’t chosen your career path yet and are still bouncing between majors? I know, I’ve been there. Now is a great time to look into it! Check out my Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Career for more info, and check out Now What? by Nicholas Lore, I can’t recommend it enough.
- Finally Finish a Big Project You’ve Started: Now is also a fantastic time to finally get some unfinished projects done. If you need some help with project planning, check out this post (includes a free printable project planner!).
- Experiment with a New Productivity System: A great way to get ahead is to establish a new productivity system. Check out my top tips here for some inspiration!
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Preparing for a Successful College Semester (includes a freebie!)
Take some Time to Enjoy your Summer:
Alright, your college summer break isn’t ALL about getting ahead of the game and being productive. You just finished a full year of college! You should take some time to reward yourself by actually enjoying the good weather. Here are some ideas to get you on your way.
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- Travel: Summer is the perfect season to travel. You could go abroad and see some great sights (perhaps New Zealand or Australia) or stay closer to home and plan an epic road trip (my last two road trips were to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, so much fun!). Perhaps even just a fun hike near your home town (don’t forget the ten hiking essentials!). Where ever you choose to go, enjoy it!
- Get some Reading Done: Don’t you just love a good book on a lazy day? Well I sure do! College summer break is the perfect time to get some serious reading done! Looking for your next book? Check out my ultimate list of books to read in your 20’s and my list of 52 books to add to your current reading list.
- Go on Some Fun Summer Date Nights: This is the perfect time to enjoy the warm summer nights and go out of a few dates! Doesn’t have to be with a significant other, could be with some good friends or even yourself! Check out my ultimate list of cheap and fun date ideas here.
Related: 34 Cheap and Fun Date Night Ideas that Won’t Break the Bank!
- Get Crafty: College summer break is the perfect time to get your craft on and find some cool Pinterest projects to do! My next project is to fill up my new cute summer scrapbook!
- Find a New Hobby: You can also spend some time taking on a new hobby! With hobbies, the possibilities are completely endless. Hiking? Knitting? Scrapbooking? Reading? The world is your oyster.
- Practice Stress Management: Again, summer is a great time to step back and take a break. Focus on other things than your stressful college life! Check out my favorite ways to de-stress here.
- Spend time with Family and Friends: My final tip is to spend some quality time with your family and friends. The school year can be hectic and leave you with little time to socialize. Now is a great time to catch up!
Related: The Ultimate Summer Bucket List (50 Insanely Fun Activities to Try!)
There you have it, my top ideas for ensuring your summer college break is productive, fun, and useful! I hope you have found a few ideas to help you get ahead of the game. You will be on your way to a successful future career in no time. Have a fun and exciting summer break!
Summer is the best time to start a money-making blog. Check out the top 10 reasons you should start yours today!
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