It’s the beginning of June. Your last exam is over, and now you have… 3 long months of summer to fill?

University dominates during term time, jam-packed with academics, extra-curriculars and, of course, a vibrant social life. While it’s all amazing and exciting, it’s easy to forget that over the course of your university career, you’ll have some rather long breaks. Summer holidays at university often last for more than three months, so while it’s incredibly important to get some rest between terms, the long summer break is also an excellent opportunity to build different skills and gain new experiences.

Never does this time feel more important than between your second and third year (or the summer before your final year). This is the last chance you have to make the most of a full university summer before entering the world of work – or going wherever you may go once you graduate. Planning starts early; already, within the first few weeks of beginning my second year, all I heard was ‘it’s internship season!’. Applications for many summer internships open during September and many have application deadlines in December. So – you have to act quickly!

While I am a geography student, my personal interests lie more in geopolitics, government and policy. When I found out about the Summer Internship Programme at the Civil Service, that sounded like the perfect opportunity for me. After several hours of online assessments and telephone interviews, I made the cut. I look forward to starting my two-month placement in the coming weeks.

There are huge benefits to be drawn from taking advantage of long summer breaks to complete valuable work experience, such as the chance to test out career paths you may be interested in, building your personal network and your employability. It also helps to provide some structure to what might seem like an endless summer, and it means that you can leave university not only with a degree, but also with an excellent CV, a stack of transferable skills, not to mention some extra income!

There are many different types of opportunities you can take advantage of. Beyond corporate internships, there are countless opportunities to get involved with small start-ups, or with non-profit and charity work. For example, in my first year summer break, I took the opportunity to combine NGO work with (in complete honesty) a bit of travel, by volunteering with one of the University’s trusted partners in Peru for a whole month. By doing this, I got the opportunity to gain skills in conservation, as well as learn how to surf.

However, it must be said – don’t feel the pressure to be working hard all term time only to continue working hard all summer. There are other opportunities such as working a part-time job, taking an online course, or undertaking a personal project (from learning a new instrument to learning how to code), but going on holiday or simply allowing yourself to rest are also invaluable ways to spend your summer.

My top tips for organising summer ahead:

Start Early: Best opportunities often have early deadlines.

Cast a Wide Net: Apply to multiple programs, keep your horizons broad.

Use University Resources: The Careers Service, support from academic advisors

Leverage Connections: Talk to family, friends, professors about opportunities

Don’t Forget Self-Care: Balance productivity with rest and fun

So, to conclude, summer breaks are a valuable time for both personal and professional growth. Any experience is valuable: what truly counts is stepping outside your comfort zone and exploring new opportunities. There’s lots of excitement ahead.

Written by Bo, a current BA Geography student

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