By Samantha Yorke
Samantha Yorke is an assistant director and success coach for the Office of Undergraduate Student Success at NSU. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida and her Master of Science degree in higher education from Florida State University. Samantha is a proud Floridian with a passion for empowering others.
Palm trees, sand and a brand new tan. We all love the summertime and how relaxing it can be… but what happens when it gets too relaxed? The best way to avoid a slow, unproductive summer is by getting a head start on planning your upcoming activities and experiences. By planning ahead, you may find yourself with a lot more time to do the things you love, see the people you want to see and prepare for the fall semester.
Over the summer months, it is important to think about ways to reenergize yourself. You have had a busy school year and vacation time is essential. Consider trips you may have the opportunity to go on or events you may be interested in attending. Write these adventures down in your planner or calendar so that they remain organized and you don’t forget about them. Having these dates written down on paper or in your phone will help prevent future plans from conflicting with them.
Have you ever thought about doing a summer internship, study abroad trip or shadowing a professional in your field of interest? The summer is a perfect time to explore new places and connect with new people due to the increased amount of time you have to focus on them all. These types of experiences make a huge difference on your resume when applying to jobs and graduate programs — the skills and stories you can obtain over this summer may be exactly what you need to set yourself apart on a graduate or full-time application. It is worthwhile to reach out to the Career Development Office and International Programs at NSU to learn more about how to get involved with these opportunities before graduation.
Although summer may feel like vacation time for many people, some students may be interested in completing summer courses to further themselves within their academic program. Summer courses are either seven or 12 weeks long and can help speed up the graduation process. They can be online or in person, depending on your interests and flexibility. Talk with your academic adviser if you are interested in adding these courses to your schedule.
A few weeks before the fall semester begins, start brainstorming about what you foresee these months looking like for you. Tons of projects? Several labs? New organizations? New goals? Feeling prepared for your first week of class is not only motivating, but incredibly stress-relieving. Consider making a schedule with the Office of Undergraduate Student Success that includes your upcoming courses and other weekly activities over the summer, so you know exactly what you need to do throughout fall to move forward, successfully, into winter break. We both know that summer is going to fly by, so start planning what you can do now to maximize your time and start the next school year even stronger than the last.
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Consider these activities over summer:
- Writing social events in planner
- Internships/shadowing
- Study abroad
- Summer courses
- Creating a weekly schedule for fall
- Making goals for the fall
