Summer can seem to go on forever. Between working part-time and catching up with family and friends, the days can seem to drag on. I’ve put together some ideas of things you could do to get a bit of variety into planning your summer break.
Internships
One way that many students spend part of their summer break is on work placements or internships. These are a great thing to consider as they allow you to spend a short amount of time at a job or industry you could be considering for your future career without having to commit long-term. They will also give you an advantage when searching for a job after university as you’ll have first-hand experience on why that job or industry is right for you.
Beware of unpaid internships though, as you should always be valued and paid for your work. And don’t forget, unpaid internships exclude those who can’t afford to work for free.
Volunteering
Even if you don’t know what you want to do once university is over, summer is a great time to gain lots of transferable skills. Volunteering is a great way to do this and help others. Summer is the perfect time to volunteer as there are so many different types of opportunities to get involved with.
As the summer break is so long you could commit to a longer-term volunteering opportunity, such as visiting your local animal sanctuary weekly to help out. Or, you could join a residential volunteering opportunity oversees, helping teach English to children or joining a conservation project. You could also get involved with short-term volunteering, such as stewarding at events like Glastonbury or Reading and Leeds (this is a good one as you’ll get your ticket to the festival as a thank you for your time).
Day trips
A great way to break up the long summer is through day trips. Try visiting a few towns or cities close to you to see what cultural experiences they have to offer. A great way to mix this up could be to grab a few friends and assign each person a different place. Have everyone plan their own day and be surprised by what activities and food and drink options they come up with.
Mini breaks
Everyone loves a summer holiday, but they can be expensive. One option to overcome this is to book a last-minute trip. You can get some great deals if you are spontaneous and book your flights and accommodation a few days before you plan to travel and are willing to be flexible with your destination. You could find your new favourite city!
Another cheap option for travel is to holiday in another part of the UK by visiting a friend’s uni town. My friends and I visited Norwich a few years ago, a place most of us had never been. Her second year house provided cheap accommodation and we had our own personal tour guide.
Hopefully these ideas will have inspired you to make the most of your time this summer! Get planning!
Eleanor Smith