Although summer gives students a break from the monotony of courses, it shouldn’t be used as a time to waste. Summer in college might be a student’s last opportunity to have a break before securing full-time employment or pursuing graduate school.
Spending the summer lazing around and staying in bed all day might seem appealing because students typically have fewer commitments over the break. However, this could cause reduced muscle strength due to a lack of physical activity, and spending time in bed while awake could make the body associate wakefulness with the bed and cause sleep issues.
Students should use summer to travel, prevent learning loss and advance their career goals.
Summers offer great opportunities to travel recreationally, whether domestically or internationally. Experiencing different cultures and ways of life reaps great benefits. According to Forbes, traveling allows one to become more creative, develop grit and perseverance and broaden perspectives.
With a three-month break, students could travel to another state or country. The summer is a great time for a road trip with friends. Those looking to stay in Texas can visit some wonderful historic sites and museums, including the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco and The Alamo in San Antonio.
Another way college students can use their summer break productively is by staying engaged with course material, which can prevent the dreaded summer learning loss.
According to a study by the American Education Research Journal, during summer break, the average student can lose 17 to 30% of their learning from the previous year.
To keep their brains active, students could use their summer break to sharpen their major-related skills. Whether through a course, an internship or an independent project, students should find some way to keep learning.
Although students might be bored with their day-to-day classes, LinkedIn Learning courses offered to Texas State students might spice up the learning pace. To access these LinkedIn Learning resources, students can view the Career Services web page. In addition, the non-traditional, hands-on teaching styles offered through internships could also benefit students.
Students can also use the summer break to focus on their future goals and prepare for their careers.
Career Services offers plenty of helpful summer tips about career advancement. BOBCATshadow, a job shadowing program, takes place August 22-23 with applications opening in June. Through this program, students apply for a job they want to shadow on Handshake. Utilizing BOBCATshadow allows students to engage in on-the-job learning.
However, this is not to say that summer activities must be expensive or time-consuming; there are many affordable activities that students can engage in. These could include detoxing from technology, going for a swim or finishing a good book.
A great way to access some free activities and equipment is to stop by Alkek. The library is still open during the summer, with hours posted on its website. Along with plenty of books to read, students can check out equipment such as cameras and tripods to create a short film. Students can also use their free time to utilize YouStar Studios and the MakerSpace in AlkekOne.
Overall, summer breaks during college should be used to enrich the mind and soul. However, if students truly need a break, they should make an honest attempt to reconnect with themselves instead of just binge-watching the latest Netflix release.
-Madison Green is a psychology and advertising senior
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