Summer break is finally in sight. Our hard work of the semester, make that that the entire year is reaching its conclusion. The late night study sessions, early morning classes and brutal winter have given way to a solid three plus months of freedom. In my planning for the break I have been faced with numerous choices. Should I seek out adventure, backpacking and beaching? Or should I take a career building internship that will make my resume sparkle? And most importantly, what can I afford to do?
There are multiple sides to this. I don’t want to say the devil is on one shoulder and the angel is on the other whispering the pros and cons of each because I don’t think either choice is the inherently “right” thing to do. This being said, what are we suppose to do as students?
Well looking at some of those pros and cons, both choices have their benefits. The monetary factor has a strong weigh on the choice. Ask your self, what sort of funding do my summer plans need? For some the need to work a summer job weighs more important than taking an unpaid internship that might be beneficial for one’s future, but unrealistic for the given situation. In this situation, there are ways to make the most of the time and hard work you are putting in. Paid work in sectors of the future career does likely exist. This can be less directly connected than you think. Learning how to apply the work and studies of your given field is possible with a little creativity. For example babysitting and Anthropology, thank you Nannie Dairies, both develop the skills for understanding people and how families function. If you can’t find a way to relate your job as a camp counselor to your nero-science major, focus on the skills you are developing. You are working as a part of a team, displaying extreme responsibility with others children and rounding your self out as for a future application to medical school.
Maybe all this talk of careers and the future is not only off your radar, but the least of your interest. You want to spend summer having fun. You might work a job to pay for your expenses, but in your opinion it is in no way meant to be a resume builder. This choice is a valid one as well. A rest for the brain is a necessary one. If we went full steam ahead through the entire summer, working, interning or whatnot, come fall, we would feel no different than we do at the end of finals week.
I want to highlight that I believe a summer of balance can exist. We can have a fun, functional summer with a little planning and forth thought. Think about a handful of fun activities you really would like to do this summer, be it hiking a certain mountain, traveling with friends, or scoping out future cities you’d like to relocate to after graduation. Add these activities to your calendar early so that they are more likely to actually get to occur. If you have a job, internship or other responsibilities make your schedules mesh with little confrontation via early planning.
Most importantly, don’t regret whatever choices you do make. There may be days when friends invite you along for a tempting day-drinking lake outing, and you are regretting your choice to intern when you find yourself inside on a beautiful day. Instead focus on the moment, making the most of the work you are doing to make it count. For every sunny day, be an extra great intern. Or if you are relaxing by the pool and regretting your choice to not be efficient with your time off, think about how you can best use your time. Seek out fulfilling activities that you are always wishing you had time for. We all have choices about our summers, but thinking ahead and thinking about ourselves is a good place to start.
Mead's Lead 
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