8 Ways to Spend Summer (Without Spending Your Savings)
June 15, 2015
Ahhh, the student summer life. Finals are over, your dorm decor is in storage, and you’ve got a sprawling three months of vacay ahead of you. So what do you do? From organic farm work to international volunteering opportunities, professional development to road tripping, these eight things to do on summer break prove that the sunny season can be both productive and awesome.
1. GO AU NATUREL: Looking to trade the city sights for some greenery? How does harvesting grapes on a French vineyard sound? Or shearing sheep in Australia? Sign up with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and you can get your hands dirty doing agricultural work—and do a bit of jet setting besides.
Image courtesy of franckreporter/iStock
Image courtesy of franckreporter/iStock
2. ALTERNATIVE GRAND CANYON BREAK: We've already extolled the virtues of alternative spring break. The good news: alternative vacay also extends to summer, with orgs like Break Away hosting trips that mingle giving back and getting away—and train future student leaders amongst destination vistas, like the Grand Canyon.
Image courtesy of KingMatz1980/iStock
Image courtesy of KingMatz1980/iStock
3. VOLUNTEER ABROAD: If you don’t have a big stack of cash to splash on an international getaway, you can still get your vacation kicks while volunteering abroad. ISV is one of the best bets, as the top-rated program that lets students work on efforts ranging from conservation to children’s education, from New Zealand to Thailand.
Image courtesy of Joel Carillet/iStock
Image courtesy of Joel Carillet/iStock
4. GO BACKPACKING: It's a collegiate rite of passage for a reason: Before your summer vacation is reduced from months to a matter of weeks, it's time to go on an epic backpacking tour of Europe Asia the globe. You can always go solo, though orgs like EF College Break create student-friendly backpacking trips that'll let you hitch a ride with a group of fellow adventurers.
Image courtesy of Elena Eliseeva/iStock/Thinkstock
Image courtesy of Elena Eliseeva/iStock/Thinkstock
5. INTERNSHIPS (THAT PAY): Paying internships aren't just good for earning some cash—past studies have also shown that enrolling in one will up your odds of scoring a good gig once you graduate. If you're staying in the city for the summer, use resources like Looksharp to browse the options in your area. There's no better way to figure out what you want to be when you grow up than actually giving it a spin.
Image courtesy of Looksharp
Image courtesy of Looksharp
6. LOCK YOUR PROFESSIONAL GAME UP TIGHT: No matter how you spend your summer, it never hurts to devote some time to cultivating your professional know-how. Organize informational interviews over lunch to pick the brains of potential mentors, give your resume a savvy redesign, or take the time to start your own blog or portfolio. You might just get hired based on a cool art project that shows your creative side. One of the best things to do on summer break, "professional" definitely doesn't have to mean "boring."
Image courtesy of Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Thinkstock
Image courtesy of Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Thinkstock
7. EDUCATION, WEB 2.0 STYLE: Are you the kind of person who, well...actually misses school during the summer? No shame in that; learning new stuff can be awesome. (Just check out these quirky classes for evidence.) Once you've sampled the offerings in your city, you can also register for free, online lectures from resources like Coursera and edX. A Harvard seminar on the science of cooking, anyone?
Image courtesy of AJ_Watt/iStock
Image courtesy of AJ_Watt/iStock
8. ALL THE FUN STUFF: Summer may be the perfect time to invest back in the community—and in yourself—but be sure to include some relaxation on your list of things to do on summer break. Take advantage of the warm weather and go for a weekend road trip. Summer means festival season—so you'll be going to see some of your favorite musicians live, yes? And, no matter your budget, you can always opt for an excellent staycation and plan the perfect urban picnic. Everyone, now: Schoooooool's out. For. Summer.
Image courtesy of pixdeluxe/iStock
Image courtesy of pixdeluxe/iStock
1. GO AU NATUREL: Looking to trade the city sights for some greenery? How does harvesting grapes on a French vineyard sound? Or shearing sheep in Australia? Sign up with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and you can get your hands dirty doing agricultural work—and do a bit of jet setting besides.
Image courtesy of franckreporter/iStock
Image courtesy of franckreporter/iStock
2. ALTERNATIVE GRAND CANYON BREAK: We've already extolled the virtues of alternative spring break. The good news: alternative vacay also extends to summer, with orgs like Break Away hosting trips that mingle giving back and getting away—and train future student leaders amongst destination vistas, like the Grand Canyon.
Image courtesy of KingMatz1980/iStock
Image courtesy of KingMatz1980/iStock
3. VOLUNTEER ABROAD: If you don’t have a big stack of cash to splash on an international getaway, you can still get your vacation kicks while volunteering abroad. ISV is one of the best bets, as the top-rated program that lets students work on efforts ranging from conservation to children’s education, from New Zealand to Thailand.
Image courtesy of Joel Carillet/iStock
Image courtesy of Joel Carillet/iStock
4. GO BACKPACKING: It's a collegiate rite of passage for a reason: Before your summer vacation is reduced from months to a matter of weeks, it's time to go on an epic backpacking tour of Europe Asia the globe. You can always go solo, though orgs like EF College Break create student-friendly backpacking trips that'll let you hitch a ride with a group of fellow adventurers.
Image courtesy of Elena Eliseeva/iStock/Thinkstock
Image courtesy of Elena Eliseeva/iStock/Thinkstock
5. INTERNSHIPS (THAT PAY): Paying internships aren't just good for earning some cash—past studies have also shown that enrolling in one will up your odds of scoring a good gig once you graduate. If you're staying in the city for the summer, use resources like Looksharp to browse the options in your area. There's no better way to figure out what you want to be when you grow up than actually giving it a spin.
Image courtesy of Looksharp
Image courtesy of Looksharp
6. LOCK YOUR PROFESSIONAL GAME UP TIGHT: No matter how you spend your summer, it never hurts to devote some time to cultivating your professional know-how. Organize informational interviews over lunch to pick the brains of potential mentors, give your resume a savvy redesign, or take the time to start your own blog or portfolio. You might just get hired based on a cool art project that shows your creative side. One of the best things to do on summer break, "professional" definitely doesn't have to mean "boring."
Image courtesy of Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Thinkstock
Image courtesy of Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Thinkstock
7. EDUCATION, WEB 2.0 STYLE: Are you the kind of person who, well...actually misses school during the summer? No shame in that; learning new stuff can be awesome. (Just check out these quirky classes for evidence.) Once you've sampled the offerings in your city, you can also register for free, online lectures from resources like Coursera and edX. A Harvard seminar on the science of cooking, anyone?
Image courtesy of AJ_Watt/iStock
Image courtesy of AJ_Watt/iStock
8. ALL THE FUN STUFF: Summer may be the perfect time to invest back in the community—and in yourself—but be sure to include some relaxation on your list of things to do on summer break. Take advantage of the warm weather and go for a weekend road trip. Summer means festival season—so you'll be going to see some of your favorite musicians live, yes? And, no matter your budget, you can always opt for an excellent staycation and plan the perfect urban picnic. Everyone, now: Schoooooool's out. For. Summer.
Image courtesy of pixdeluxe/iStock
Image courtesy of pixdeluxe/iStock
