Every summer, there are college students who waste their summer “chilling” and not being productive. Your college years are the years that are meant to prepare you for the real “working” world. Use all that free time to develop your personal skill sets and don’t just allow the summer to just simply be a personal vacation. Just remember everything that you do today will affect your future. Here are six things you can do during your summer vacation that will benefit you after graduation:
Network: Use your extra time to attend charity events where you could potentially meet people working in your future career. Business professionals are often philanthropists who attend these types of events. Besides giving back of course, this will be the perfect opportunity to receive contacts and connections in your future career. Also, attend conferences and conventions in your field. Building successful business relationships can truly help you in the long run.
Research: Read the material the professionals in your industry are reading. Find out the cities that are lacking professionals in your field. Research the companies and find out the amount of positions available worldwide in your future career. Research ways to excel in your career field and the top mistakes people often make. Make it a point to learn all you can about the companies within your field. Learn everything you possibly can about your future career; try to research things you never thought of before. Reading Forbes and other trade and professional journals can be beneficial as well.
Volunteer: Instead of sitting around doing nothing, make an effort to add positively to the world. You never know whose life you can change. Tutor some young students or create your own charitable organization for something you believe in. Most students believe some things need to change but don’t go out and actually try to do something about it. Making a difference in the world is always positive, and it can help you grow as a person as well.
Intern: Internships are the perfect opportunity to boost your resume and gain experience in your field. Internships are also the perfect way to network and meet people in your future career. It’ll give you the opportunity to decide if you’re going into the right profession. Even if you’re just doing ground work it’s always a privilege to be around individuals doing what you want to do in the future. Set goals for yourself during your internship to ensure it’s a successful opportunity.
Find someone to shadow or find a mentor: Without an internship, you can find someone in your future career field who will allow you to shadow them and/or become a mentor to you. Having a mentor or simply shadowing someone even if it’s just for a day can be more beneficial than you’ll ever know. Take advantage of your student status and ask questions about everything you don’t understand. To learn from those you aspire to be can also give you the boost of confidence you need. A mentor will share their knowledge and try to help you succeed within your field.
Work: Find a small summer job where you can work full time and save up extra cash to pay for books or go toward your education. This will also be a great way to condition you for the working world. Some college students graduate without ever having a job and they’re not used to working. Starting off now will allow you to build your own work ethic and go through trial and error. Having a job now will allow you to learn what you need to work on so you’re successful in your future career.
