Making Summer Count

Making Summer Count

Summer is usually a time to relax, no one will argue about that, but it's important for students to make sure that they continue learning while they are on summer vacation. If your child is fortunate enough to have classes, a job or internship that supports his or her educational goals that is great, but if not, here are a few more things they can do to make summer more meaningful. 

Volunteering - There are always plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and meet new people through volunteering. Whether they volunteer on campus or in their hometowns, students should be sure to carefully record their volunteer activity. Doing so will give them easy access to where and when they volunteered when it comes time to update their resumes.

Travel - Whether it's a family vacation or independent travel, as we age, travel becomes more and more about new experiences and learning opportunities. Even weekend getaways to local areas of interest or historical sites can enhance education and broaden students' world views.

Online or independent learning- Not all learning has to be for credit. Although it makes sense for students to take classes required for their degrees, if they can't fit one into their schedule or budget, they may try their hand at free, non-credit classes in either their field of study or another area of interest such as foreign language. Many public libraries offer free classes as well or free access to coding and language learning sites.

Getting fit- If your child gained the Freshman (or Sophomore) 15, summer is a great time to not only get back in shape, but to establish a workout routine that can be maintained once he or she returns to campus. Even 30 minutes of walking or other cardio activity alternated with an equal amount strength and toning can make a huge difference. As they plan their workouts, they should think about how they can maintain the activity when they return to campus in the fall. By now, most students know their fall class schedule and can keep it in mind as they plan their daily workouts, so when they return to campus, they can keep the same routine with little interruption.