Ah, summer! We all look forward to this time of year, when we’re free from schoolwork and get to enjoy the beautiful weather outside. The beach, friends, family, fun…what more could you ask for? Yet in the midst of all this, you might fall into a slump of feeling “unproductive” like me. Some students might have retail jobs that feel unfulfilling or they may simply miss the hustle and bustle of the school year. That’s why I compiled a list of productive things to do in your free time this summer. Not only can you use this season to move closer to your goals, but doing so will take some pressure off of you when the school year rolls around. I tried to make this post specific to rising seniors in college, but feel free to use these tips or look out for future posts for your year!
1. Review your graduation requirements!
This includes general education requirements, as well as those for your major, minor, and/or certificate! This is SO important because you only have 2 semesters left to smooth out any kinks in your academic plan! Figuring out what you have left will help you and your advisor get you into the classes you need in order to complete your course of study on time.
Life hack #1: Look for lists of requirements or major-specific worksheets on your school and department’s websites. These make it really easy to check off what you have completed, and what is remaining!
Life hack #2: I use a Google Sheet to keep track of my four-year-plan and any classes I have taken. I try to organize them by color and show it to my advisor at our meetings. This is helpful just to double-check that you are both on the same page.
2. Revise your resumé, CV, and personal statement.
Fine-tuning these documents over the summer will ease a lot of your stress later, when it becomes yet another task on your endless to-do list. By revising them early, you can get them reviewed by mentors at your campus career center or writing center during the school year.
3. Seek a job or internship.
Ideally, this would be in your field of interest, but any sort of job teaches you valuable and translatable professional skills. Summer is a great time to explore your options, and future employers and grad schools love seeing a candidate who is hard-working and dedicated!
4. Update your LinkedIn profile with summer work so you don’t forget during the year.
5. Research companies or positions you might be interested in.
Use keywords to explore careers and companies listed on LinkedIn or Indeed.com, or just browse your dream company’s website! Looking for these opportunities before graduating lets you see what is out there, so you can prepare to land your dream job.
6. Clean up your social media.
Take some time to comb through your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. to make sure they are polished for any potential employers or schools. Delete and archive any old posts that you aren’t so proud of, and make sure to keep a clean image for the future.
7. Finalize a list of graduate schools to apply to, if applicable.
8. Prepare to take a standardized test this summer, if needed.
9. Create your list of recommendation letter-writers.
Put together a list of 3-5 past professors, employers, or mentors you have built good relationships with. Write down their contact info, think about why they would make a good letter-writer, and what unique aspects they can highlight about you. They often ask for these key pieces of information when it comes time to write your letter.
10. Prepare a business casual outfit for career fairs and interviews.
In college, I found it difficult to go shopping due to the location of my campus and not having my own transportation. If you’re nodding your head in agreement, my advice is to pick out a professional outfit now, during the summer! Try stores like Banana Republic Factory, Express, Marshalls, or Target for business casual tops, and Old Navy for a large selection of pants. But try your mom’s or older sibling’s closets first for a sustainable solution!
11. Draft answers to interview questions.
Thinking about these questions ahead of time lets you get rid of less than ideal answers and think of even better ones! It is always better to be prepared ahead of time than winging an interview last minute. Additionally, you can test out your answers at mock interviews on campus to get feedback from others.
Life hack: Do a quick Google search to find past interview questions for your position or field, and read the advice others have posted about how their interview went! I copy and pasted past questions into a Google Doc and added some of my own; then I came up with possible answers underneath them.
I hope you found at least one piece of advice in this article that resonates with you, if not all, and that this helps you beat that unmotivated summer slump! Let me know if you try any of these out, and tag me on Instagram @life.with.ankita or leave a comment below!
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