You are done with finals, you said to goodbye to all your friends, you moved out of your dorm. Now what? That internship you were hoping for never panned out, and now you are dreading the thought of being home all summer. What are you supposed to do if you don’t have an internship for the summer???
Relax. This is not the end of the world. Internships are one of the most important things you can do during college, but one summer off won’t kill your chances of getting another internship or job down the line. But, if you are still freaking out, here’s a few things you can do….
What to do if you don’t have a summer internship:
Travel
Maybe you saved up from your on-campus job and have a little extra lying around; use it to travel! If you want to earn a few extra credits while you’re at it, see if your school offers any summer study abroad programs, or just hit the road with your friends! However, you don’t have to go on a wild three-month backpacking trip across South America or anything. Go on a road trip with your best friends, visit a new city in your state, or explore your hometown. Visit friends from school, visit family, do whatever you want! Travel doesn’t always have to involve a passport.
Work Part-Time
Whether you are waiting tables, working in your favorite boutique, dog-sitting, baby-sitting, house-sitting, etc., any job is great! Just because it doesn’t necessarily fit into your resume doesn’t make it a bad thing- making money is always great!
Freelance
Use the skills you have to your advantage! Whether you are a writer, photographer, editor, stylist…use this extra time to hone those extra skills, and then put it on your resume! If you are a journalism major and spent the summer freelance writing, stick it on there. Add to your photography or design portfolio- just because you are not interning doesn’t mean you can’t boost your resume.
Chill
Let’s be honest, this is the most important one. I assume you worked hard all year long, between classes and clubs and internships during school and a social life, you are exhausted (I know I always was). Take this extra time to relax. See your friends, spend time at home with your family, binge on a few seasons of your new favorite show. I know this is really hard for most over-achieving college students, but don’t be ashamed to relax. You’ll be back to working hard come fall semester!
Apply to Fall Internships
Since you have a little extra time, use it to really polish your fall internship applications. Spend an extra few minutes on that cover letter, let someone read over it, ask for feedback or references, and re-boot your resume. That extra time can go a long way towards getting what you really want for the fall semester!
Whether you are working, starting a blog, traveling, or just laying by the pool and wearing the same pajamas three days in a row, do what makes you happy with your free time. College is your last chance at free time before the real world (!!!!), so drop your guilt and enjoy your summer!
