Students

4 ways to make the most of your summer in college

Summer is the perfect time to add new experiences, skills, and knowledge to your resume.

Trevor Thompson

2015-05-21

After surviving the academic year, we’re all excited for 3+ months of friends, family, vacations, and fun this summer. And while it’s important to get the rest and relaxation you need to come back ready to excel in the fall, summer is an awesome time to add new experiences, skills, and knowledge to your resume.  

Here are just four of the ways you can more fully utilize summer break as a college student, and make the most of your experience at ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business.

1. Get an internship

One of the main goals of your college experience — especially as a business student — should be to land an internship in your field of study before graduation. W. P. Carey students have access to internship opportunities all over the country and often around the world. No matter where you end up, you’ll learn a great deal about yourself and about your major.

For example, I worked for Dell last summer, as an operations intern in Austin, Texas. I spent the entire summer in Austin, saved up a decent amount of money to pay for school expenses, and learned a ton about supply chain management. And because I’m majoring in supply chain management at W. P. Carey, I came away with a better understanding of what I’d already learned in class, in addition to the real-world context I needed to make sense of new concepts.

2. Study abroad

Studying abroad can add depth to any student’s experience in college. For business students in particular, it’s a great way to get the kind of perspective employers look for, as well as the cross-cultural understanding you need to thrive in an increasingly global business world.

ASU has over 250 study abroad programs in more than 65 countries! W. P. Carey students can study abroad for a summer session, a semester, or even a year. You don’t have to know a foreign language to study abroad, and there are plenty of scholarships and financial aid options to help you cover the cost of learning overseas.  

I was lucky enough to study abroad in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh the summer after my first year — without needing to take out any loans! Between a scholarship I received and my savings from work, I was able to pay for the entire five-week experience on my own.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering is always a great thing to do, and volunteers are always needed in many different areas! You can volunteer on a weekly basis or on weekends at an organization near you, participate in a volunteer program partnership, or even volunteer abroad. It’s a great feeling when you get to help others, and volunteering is a huge plus when it comes to applications for scholarships, internships, or grad school.

4. Get a job

Even if you are unable to secure an internship, or just want to stay at home for the summer, there are many other job opportunities available to you! If you’ve never worked at a restaurant, it can be an awesome experience that you can spin for any major on your resume. You can also look into working at a bank or other establishment that will give you an awesome summer experience in its own right. Also, don’t forget that there are smaller, local internships you can check out as well! Those might be easier to secure as a first-year student or sophomore than a large, corporate internship.

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Ultimately, the main point I’m trying to get across is this: don’t just sit around during the three summers that you have in college. You can have a great time while also having worthwhile experiences, which will go a long way in helping you secure a job once you graduate. No matter what you do, taking advantage of your summers will result in huge benefits down the road.

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