Ahhh, Summer break is that cherished time for college students to relax, recharge, and explore new experiences outside the classroom. Basking in the sun, poolside without a care in the world. Whether they’re planning to travel, work, or simply enjoy some downtime, there are countless ways to make the most of their summer break and ensure it’s both satisfying and fulfilling. In this blog post, I’ll share valuable tips and ideas to help college students have a rewarding summer break that leaves them feeling rejuvenated and ready for the upcoming academic year.
Plan Ahead
Before summer break begins, I encourage all of my clients to take some time to reflect on their goals and aspirations for the upcoming months. Whether they want to travel, gain work experience, or focus on personal development, having a clear plan in place can help them make the most of the time off. This starts with a regular wake-up time and daily routine, even if it’s pretty chill and laid back.
Explore New Hobbies and Interests
Summer break provides the perfect opportunity to explore hobbies and interests that they may not have had time for during the school year. Whether it’s learning a new instrument, trying out a new sport, or experimenting with creative pursuits like painting or writing, I encourage all my clients to use this time to discover what brings them joy and fulfillment. It’s also a time to figure out what they don’t like or want. Clean out old clothes and ditch friends that are toxic. Summer can be as much a time for exploration as it is for pruning dead branches in life.
Travel and Explore
If they have the means and opportunity, I really like college students to consider traveling during their summer break. Whether it’s a road trip with friends, a solo adventure to a new city, or a volunteer trip abroad, traveling can broaden their horizons, expose them to new cultures, and create unforgettable memories.
Pursue Internships or Work Experience
Summer break is an excellent time to gain practical work experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer opportunities. I want students to look for positions that align with their academic and career interests, and use this time to develop valuable skills, build your resume, and expand their professional network through information interviews.
Prioritize Self-Care
During the excitement of summer break, I remind students to not forget to prioritize self-care and well-being. Make time for activities that nourish their body, mind, and soul, whether it’s practicing yoga, spending time in nature, or simply relaxing with a good book (remember those things??). Remember that self-care is essential for maintaining balance and overall happiness. This also includes improving sleep hygiene, nutrition, and decreasing time on digital drugs like Instagram and Snapchat. Finally, it’s a great time to take care of all that ‘deferred maintenance’ that accumulated during the semester – dentist appointments, therapist sessions, sleep studies, etc are all to-do list items perfect for accomplishing over summer.
Connect with Friends and Family
Summer break is the perfect time to reconnect with friends and family members who they may not have seen during the school year. Plan fun outings, picnics, or game nights, and cherish the time spent with loved ones. Sounds a bit cheesy but encouraging students to being intentional about their relationships is important since more college students nowadays burn through hours each day with their face glued to their phone.
Set Goals for Personal Growth
Use summer break as an opportunity for personal growth and self-improvement. I nudge my clients to set SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive goals for themself, whether it’s learning a new skill, improving their fitness level, or working on personal development areas like time management or communication skills. It’s hard to manage what you don’t measure.
Embrace Spontaneity
While it’s essential to have a plan and routine for summer break, I don’t want students to schedule every hour of every day. I want them to embrace spontaneity and seize opportunities as they pop up randomly. Whether it’s saying yes to a last-minute road trip or trying out a new activity on a whim, embracing spontaneity can lead to exciting and unexpected experiences.
Maintain the Brain
Relax, plan, have fun, get healthy, etc. – I want my clients to do all of those things. But I also don’t want them to lose ground on the academic progress they made from precious semesters. Therefore, I really want students to at least take a summer class, student for GMAT/LSAT or some other test they might take in the future, or participate in some sort of scheduled learning activity. None of this has to count towards a major or be super intensive, but it should exercise their brain daily for an hour or two.
Express Gratitude
And lastly, I encourage students to somehow consider and reflect on the efforts of everyone that helped them through the previous semester. Though there isn’t as robust an action item for this one, expressing and thinking about the sacrifice, investment, and loving intentions of others provides significant psychological benefits. It’s also just a nice way to treat friends and family.
Conclusion
Summer break is a valuable time for college students to relax, recharge, and explore new opportunities. By planning ahead, exploring hobbies and interests, traveling and exploring, gaining work experience, prioritizing self-care, connecting with loved ones, setting goals for personal growth, and embracing spontaneity, college students can have a satisfying and fulfilling summer break that leaves them feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the challenges of the upcoming academic year.
