10 Ways to Spend Your Summer as a College Student

Summer is almost here! Although it may seem like only yesterday that you were unpacking your parents’ car in the August heat, carrying bedding, clothes and school supplies up several flights of stairs and either excitedly greeting school friends or getting to know new ones, the 2023-24 school year is nearing its close. Whether you’re staying in town for a Seward summer or heading back home for a few months, chances are, you’re going to need to keep busy while you’re not in school. Luckily, there are a myriad of ways that college students can spend and make the most of their summer break.  

Get an internship or some shadowing experience 

As a college student, you might be required to complete an internship. If you don’t want to add more work to your already-busy semester schedule, it’s a great idea to find an internship that takes place during the summer. Sometimes, you may be able to find paid internships that can double as a summer job! Look for companies with a vision and a mission that you share, that offer opportunities in your area of study, and that you believe would be a good fit for you as an intern. If these companies have specific undergraduate internships available, great! Apply for them. If they don’t, don’t hesitate to reach out – the worst that a company can say is “no,” and reaching out to a company that really interests you could lead to life-changing opportunities! 

Find a summer job 

If you don’t need or want an internship this summer, perhaps you’d like to pick up some extra cash while you’re home. If you had a summer job in high school, you may feel most comfortable returning to it. If you didn’t have one, or you want a change of pace this upcoming summer, do some searching ahead of time to make the job-finding process easier once school gets out. Consider how many hours you’d like to work, communicate them with your boss or supervisor, and get that extra summer cash!  

Hobbies, both old and new 

Summer is not only a time for interning and working, but it’s a time for relaxation and to recharge before the beginning of the next academic year. Chances are, you didn’t have an overabundance of time to spend on your hobbies during the school year – so this summer, engage in some of them, whether they’re hobbies you’ve always practiced, or something new that you’ve picked up more recently.  

Hang out with friends and family 

For most college students, going home for the summer means seeing family and friends that they are not often around during the school year. This summer, set apart some time to spend with the people from home whom you don’t get to see very often now that you’re in college. It’s likely that they’ll be happy to spend time with you. In addition, offer to help your parents around the house or take care of younger siblings.  

Spending time with your family, however, does not need to feel like an obligation; instead, it should feel like a blessing and a reason to be grateful for the summer season. Spending time with your family can also be fun! You can travel together, visit local sights or even just have a picnic in the park.  

Travel 

Whether it’s with friends or family, traveling is always a fun activity to complete over the summer. While this can be stressful in some cases, it's usually a particularly exciting experience for most, with many people choosing to visit other cities, states and even countries. Plus, travel can be what you make it; you can go on day trips or month-long camping expeditions. You can drive a few hours outside of town and visit a nearby attraction, or you can book a cross-country flight to visit a national park or famous city.  

Prepare for the upcoming school year 

At some point, the upcoming school year will need to receive at least a bit of your attention. Although shopping for school supplies will probably less involved than it was when you were in elementary or even middle school, you do need to think about packing up more college-like things, such as the clothes you’ll need when you’re living at school, the bedding you’ll put on your bed, laundry detergent, and so many other things. If you maintain a good organizational system – such as noting what you’ll need to repack as you’re unpacking at the beginning of the summer – preparing for the upcoming school year should be easy.  

Spend some time outside 

Summer break is the perfect opportunity to spend some time in God’s creation – it's warm, often sunny and the trees are filled with bright green leaves. Depending on where you reside, you might have many different options for how to spend your time outdoors. Hiking, going for a bike ride, walking your dog or jumping in the lake are all activities that take place outside and allow you to engage in meaningful physical activity while getting your daily dose of Vitamin D.  

Learn something new 

It might seem like you’ve just escaped from having to learn new things every day now that summer is here – but never fear! Learning new things during the summer doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Perhaps you have a new hobby in mind that you wanted to pick up but couldn’t find time to pursue during the school year. Maybe you’re interested in doing some hands-on learning in nature or researching topics that piqued your interest during the school year. Without structured classes that require you to study certain things, learning can be whatever you make of it.  

Spend time exploring your hometown 

Moving out of your hometown to attend college means that changes can occur while you're away. So take time this summer to fall in love with your hometown like never before. Gain a new appreciation for sights that have always been present, or check out new restaurants, shops, or areas to hang out! Maybe nothing has changed – you can still spend time exploring your local area this summer by visiting places you haven’t seen in a while, finding spots you didn’t know existed, or just spending time at your favorite coffee shop, restaurant or the library.  

Relax! 

Summer is, above all, a time to relax and restore your energy. College can be a lot of fun, but it can also feel very draining once you approach the end of the school year. However you like to relax, make sure to take time for it this summer so that you can enter the new school year feeling ready to tackle the challenges and joys of another semester.  

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