With just a few weeks left before summer arrives, why not make the most of the free time you have before going back to study?
Instead of spending your summer lulling at home and being bored, check out these amazing ideas how to make the most of the break.
1. Camp America
Spend 12 weeks seeing the United States, having fun, making friends, and getting paid? Sounds fun right! This is one of the most popular things to do during summer for students and it is easy to see why. There are so many jobs available from coaching football / ‘soccer’, to instructing dance, music, art or archery! Signing up is easy and camps hire thousands of international staff every year. Browse summer jobs abroad today.
2. Hit the Road
Road trip! Grab a travel companion and roll on out. Have a friend who lives in Paris and you’ve never been? Crash their place!
Keen to see beautiful islands or stunning national parks? Book a tour and discover a region like south east Asia.
Or want to explore cheap pretty cities in Eastern Europe? Get a rail pass, book hostels or pitch a tent and play “Survivor.” (Don’t forget the bug spray.)
Travel guides like Inspire Your Trip or Gabi Travels can help you to plan a trip. Now is the time to head out on the highway. …
3. Be a Groupie
Remember the “band-aids” in Almost Famous? With all your free time, you could go “on tour.” Grab your closest music-jamming pals and follow your favorite band around the UK or Europe on the last leg of its summer tour. Be sure to invite your friend with the most righteous camping skills. And if the band keeps seeing your familiar faces in the crowd, you might even get an invite backstage. Hey, it could happen.
4. Volunteer
Grassroots organisations are always looking for eager helping hands and there are so many benefits of volunteering for students. You can even take your skills abroad — it’s not too late to hop online and check out volunteer programs overseas. But if you’re feeling short on time, check out charitable opportunities right in your own community. You can usually find opportunities near where you live or in areas all around the UK. Here’s to making a difference!
5. Party
Planning to work a boring job back home? At least give yourself something to look forward to and some sun. Book a short holiday to Ibiza, Tenerife, Mallorca, Santorini or somewhere exotic, don’t worry about the cash, just go have a good time. YOLO! Or if a full season appeals, browse seasonal work in Europe.
6. Make Money
The weeks of summer are the perfect time to offer up a skill or service to friends and neighbours. Whether your forte is landscaping, jewelry making or dog walking (lots of people go on holiday this time of year and need a pet sitter!), print out some fliers and pass ’em around. Rake in some cash to take back to school with you.
Also with the internet it is now easier than ever to boost your income streams, check out inspiration with our guide to the best online jobs for students.
7. Intern
Do an internship? What? During summer when I could be having fun? Well, if you are thinking long term this is the perfect time to gain valuable work experience which could help land you your first job. You. could even mix the experience up to make more exciting by applying for internships abroad.
8. Go Green
This could be as simple as starting a window herb garden — or as big as participating in the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. (Go to Wwoof.org for info.) Help the global community develop more eco-friendly, sustainable habits, and in return you will receive free housing, food and an organic living education.
9. Get a Hobby!
A friendship was ripped apart on “The Real Housewives of New York City” when Bethenny Frankel uttered those three little words to Jill Zarin: “Get a hobby.” But it wasn’t bad advice. Always thought you might be the next Top Chef? Or maybe a pro surfboarder? Heck, we all have dreams – and there’s no time like the present to indulge in them. Take a course, go online or just check out a how-to book from your local library.
10. Redecorate
Chances are, your room at home looks the same as it did when you were in school. Well, you’re a young adult now, so reinvent your space. It doesn’t take a whole lotta cash to spiff up a bedroom. (You’ve seen design programmes on Netflix right?) Go shopping and look for “oops” paints – the colours that people ordered up but rejected – which are drastically marked down. Paint your walls … or just your headboard.
11. Figure Stuff Out
If you’re like most students, you might still be unsure of your true passion. Do some research, talk to people and experiment with what motivates you. Decide what you want to do after uni, where you want to live and if you want to start a 9-5. You could research backpacking adventures or the idea of taking a gap year. Now more than ever, you have the opportunity to do whatever you want – so take advantage.
Give yourself plenty of time to research options, and don’t leave it till last minute and end up doing nothing. Chat with friends, search online, check flyers at your uni and start planing the best summer of your life today.