With your school year coming to an end, you must be wondering what to do with all of your free time. You may be considering going back home, or setting off on a trip. These are all good ideas and you definitely deserve a break after a year of studying hard.
However, if you are a workaholic and are wondering how to spend your summer break productively, give this article a read. It will provide ideas on how to use your break to boost your resume and enhance your professional life.
7 Ways to Spend Your Summer Break Productively
- Look for Publishing Opportunities
You have spent the entire year studying hard and have a solid grasp of the courses you selected. Do you ever find yourself wondering how to put all the knowledge to good use? Search the internet for seminars and webinars that are accepting papers from students. It is a good idea to send your abstracts to as many of these as you can. If your abstracts or proposals are accepted and you get to publish some papers on your summer break, it will provide you with an immense boost to your academic career, and your professional resume.
- Read Ahead
With the next semester approaching, it’s a good idea to go ahead and buy the books that you will need for your courses. Do your best to read all of the primary texts in your curriculum. That way, you will have a better grasp of the class lectures, and you will be able to dedicate more time to the suggested reading list of your curriculum. Reading primary texts before the semester begins is a great habit. It will not only boost your grades, but also help you research more effectively.
- Work on your Portfolio
College days are fun and exciting. With all of the learning and partying going on, many students are oblivious to the fact that the ultimate goal is to build a career. If this is the case for you, dedicate your break to building a portfolio.
Building a portfolio is not as scary as it sounds. As an international student, you must already have good grades, and if you participate in any extracurricular activities in college, those accomplishments will look great in a portfolio as well. If you do not have a list of published articles, you should start working on it on your break. In the meantime, you can attach your work from your college papers and dissertations.
- Look for an Internship or Job
An internship or a part-time job is a great way to jumpstart your professional life. Besides, if you have international student loans, you will be able to start paying them off. Before you get an internship or a job, make sure that it does not violate the terms and conditions of your visa.
- Take a Summer Class
As a student, learning as much as you can should be your ultimate objective. Although taking more classes may be the last thing on your mind since your semester has just ended, summer classes will not drain your energy as much as a full-time course. At most, you will have two or three classes a week, and then you will get the rest of the week to yourself. At the end of the break, you will have gained extra credits for school, or even a certification that you can put on your resume.
- Learn a New Language
As an international student, you must already be bilingual or multilingual. Why not use the summer break to learn a new language? If you are a student of liberal arts, learning a European language will enable you to read many works in their original language. Besides, since you are already well versed in English, learning another language of the same language group will be comparatively easier for you.
- Learn a New Skill
The world is changing. Many jobs are becoming obsolete or are losing their value. Therefore, learning a new skill is a good idea for international students. You can choose from several vocational courses. Many of these are extremely easy, but very rewarding in the long term. Choose one where you can utilize your education, so it will be easier for you to learn the skill.
Before You Go, Remember…
You now know how to use your summer break productively. However, knowing is one thing, and putting your plans to action is another. To make sure that you do not face any impediments, try to follow these suggestions.
- Learn the value of self-discipline. You will be on a break and there will be no deadlines. This causes many students to fall prey to procrastination. Make sure that procrastination does not ruin your ambitious plans by making schedules, setting deadlines for yourself, and making sure that you stick to them.
- Do not get demotivated. You are still in college and have your whole life and career ahead of you. You might not get selected for that dream internship, or the abstract which you were extremely proud of may get rejected. If you remember to learn from these rejections and remain on track, you will achieve something soon enough.
- Remember to eat well, exercise, and stay healthy. All of your plans will be in vain if you suddenly fall sick. Also, remember to maintain a student health insurance plan even in the summer. Since your campus will be closed, you will need to visit a private medical facility in case of a health concern. Without an insurance plan, you may end up paying a fortune on your treatment. Falling sick while away from your home is stressful enough. Purchasing a health insurance plan means one less thing to worry about.
At the end of the day, remember that you are on a break. Do not overwork yourself. It is important to enjoy your break as well. This way, when classes resume, you will feel recharged and ready for another year of learning and studying.
