College summer vacations are the best! It's a time of freedom, experimenting, friends, and more! But while laying in the summer sun and sipping adult beverages sounds appealing, it's not always the best use of your college summer vacation. I'm not saying ignore the rest and relaxation totally, but do those in moderation.
Instead, consider doing one of the following to make the most of your college summer vacation. Doing any of these activities will not only be worthwhile during the summer, but could set you up for future success as well.
Get a Summer Job or Internship
Getting a summer job or internship is a great way to spend your summer for two key reasons:
1. You can earn some extra money.
2. You can gain great job skills and experience that you can leverage after graduation.
Beyond the cash, getting a summer job or an internship is a great resume booster. Employers want graduates that have real world skills, not just book smarts. So, by building skills such as time management, communication, and more, you can give yourself a leg up over the competition after graduation.
I worked my entire way through college, and I found that the skills I learned from working and going to school full time have done nothing but benefit me now that I've graduated. Learning how to achieve in the business world has proven to be more useful to me than anything I learned in a college classroom.
Plus, the money is always nice!
Take an Extra Class
In some cases, you may want to consider taking an extra class during the summer. Typically, summer classes are "easier" than regular semester classes, and they cover more diverse and fun subjects. This could be a great way to knock out some electives or other courses you need to take for your degree. Plus, summer sessions are usually a bit less expensive, and by finishing credits early, you could save yourself from tuition bills later.
If you have the time and dedication, taking summer classes is a great way to get ahead. I took several summer school courses, and in combination with college credit I earned from taking AP exams, I was able to graduate one semester early. This saved me some money on tuition and gave me a head start on getting a job after college versus traditional cycle graduates.
Start a Business
Finally, you can always start a business. Yes, this sounds a bit crazy, but there have been a lot of successful businesses started by students during the summer. For example, Nic Mayne and Jonathan Weber are two examples of college students that are making six figures a year during school because of the businesses they started during summer vacation.
Or, you can take a look at this group of millionaires who made their first million before 25 years old. Most of them started businesses while in college and turned them into million dollar ventures.
Starting a business in college, whether you succeed or fail, could be the best learning experience you have during your college years. The process of creating a product or idea, marketing it, and selling it combines so many different valuable skills that you will need for the rest of your life.
