Although summer seems like a lifetime away, the time to start planning for it is now. After a stressful academic year, you’ll want to make the most of your university summer break. Whilst rest is important, you should use the summer holidays to your advantage too.
Right now, the idea of doing anything but sleeping through your summer holidays probably doesn’t sound very appealing. It’s probably already been a hectic year and there’s still assignments and exams to come. That’s why it’s important to look ahead to when you’ll have time on your hands so you’ve got something to look forward to.
10 Ways To Spend Your University Summer Break
There are so many ways to make the most of your university summer break, but we think these are the ones you should really consider.
Rest!
Whilst you don’t want to spend all of your time catching up on sleep or lazing in the sun, it’s good to take some time completely for yourself. It’s as simple as not setting an alarm every morning, sitting in the garden or just having a movie day. Dedicating time to rest and self-care these summer holidays should be one of your top priorities.
Go Somewhere You Haven’t Been This Summer Holiday
Maybe you’ve been craving a foreign holiday, or just fancy a day trip somewhere. The university summer break will be your time, so use to go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, but never had the chance!
It’s also a great time to do it solo. The thought it a little daunting, but solo trips will help build your confidence and you’ll get to do what you want, when you want. You don’t have to go very far or for very long, but taking that step to explore somewhere new on your own isn’t an opportunity you should pass on.
Learn Some New Skills
This could be learning something completely new, or trying to improve your skills at something you’ve already tried. You could take classes and do it in a group, or just watch tutorials in the comfort of your own home.
The options with this one are limitless. Sure, you could try and learn something that might help you in your future career, like a language, improving your maths or agility based. Or, it can just be a passion project where you take pottery lessons, a dance class or get into gardening!
You’ll have a couple of months to play with, so you might as well do something useful with it!
Get A Summer Break Work Placement
Paid or volunteering, the university summer break is a great time to do a little work placement that will look amazing on your CV. It could be as simple as volunteering somewhere local once a week, or you can even travel and do it. Not only will the experience provide you with life skills, but future employers will be impressed that you’ll already have some work experience.
Try and make sure that it’s something that you’ll enjoy though. You still need to have fun over your summer holidays! If that means doing something not tailored towards your job aspirations then that’s completely fine. Doing any kind of work experience can be really beneficial.
Earn Some Money During Your University Summer Break
Despite the saying, money definitely helps the world go around. Currently, times are a little tough, so make sure you’re financially prepared for the next academic year by getting a summer job during the holidays. Ones in cafes, restaurants and shops are normally your best bet and, despite the stories you here, they can actually be fun.
It might not be your dream job and you might be more than ready to leave after a couple of months, but you’ll be thankful that you did it when you’ve got some extra cash for the next year, or even your future.
Visit Home For The Holidays
With how busy you’ve been at university, it’s understandable if you haven’t had much of a chance to go home to visit family and friends. You don’t have to go for the entire university summer holidays, but taking a few days to catch-up with loved ones will definitely do you some good.
Sometimes, you don’t realise how much you’ve missed people until you see them again after a little while.
Go To A Festival
Though the days seem pretty dreary at the moment, festival season isn’t too far away. One of the best ways to relax is to let yourself go with friends and dance and sing it out at a festival. Whether you go to one of the major ones, or a one closer to home, going to a festival is a great way to spend some of your university summer break.
Perhaps you’ll make new friends or bump into old ones; what’s guaranteed is that you’ll make some amazing memories and feel like a new person after.
Get Ahead On Your University Reading
If you study an English or History course, you might have a substantial reading list for the next academic year. You don’t have to spend all of your summer holiday reading every single one, but getting a head start and reading the first couple means starting your next year at university already prepared.
Making little notes as you read them means you won’t forget what happened or your opinions on it later. We know better than anyone that those first couple week of the university year often contain a lot of socialising, so you can do that guilt free knowing you’re ahead of the work.
Redecorate Your University Room Over The Summer Holidays
Staying in the same student accommodation for multiple years definitely calls for a re-style. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to paint or move big pieces of furniture, but there are still lots of ways to make your room your own. Move the stuff around that you can, get some prints for the walls and even some plants to help brighten your room up.
Your interests and style might have changed over the last year, so let your student accommodation reflect that! Just because you can’t make big changes doesn’t mean you can’t redecorate your university room and make it different.
Get To Know The City Better
Being at university full-time means there isn’t a tonne of time to explore the city you’ve just moved to, so use the university summer break!
With late summer nights and warmer days, the summer holidays is the best opportunity to wonder around your city and find some hidden gems. Who knows, you might find your next favourite cafe, a bar you want to show all your roommates, or even just the perfect reading nook in the park.
You’ll probably find that you fall in love with the place even more by exploring it in your own free time and at your own pace. If you’re planning on living their for the foreseeable, then having your go-to places is an absolute must.
Though your university summer break feels like an age away, it will creep up on you faster than you think. Solidify your plans for the holidays now and have something to look forward to.