Summer - What If You Don’t Know What To Do?

Dear Scholar, The semester is underway and you’ve established a groove (or you’re close!). You hear others talking about summer plans; internships, research opportunities, full-time work, travel. You are just starting to think about it. How do you figure out something good for you to do? It’s okay if you are not sure. You probably just need to find out more information about opportunities and possibilities. First, gather your own thoughts, dreams, and goals by brainstorming a list. What areas interest you - what courses made an impact on you? What majors are you exploring (or decided upon). Are there certain skills you would like to develop? Can you sketch a vision and goal for your summer experience? Start discussing it with others. This is an excellent topic to explore with your instructors. Go to office hours or schedule time outside of class. Seek their advice and ideas. Do they know of any opportunities you could pursue? You may find out about research and other opportunities. Seek the advice of your Career Services Office (schedule an appointment) and peers who have had great summer experiences (often you can get contact information from your Career Services Office). Create your vision but be a sponge. You can learn a lot by talking with others about college summer experiences and how they came about. Keep in touch with people and get feedback and input from this network of support. The beauty of this process is that it also develops your networking skills. There are multiple benefits to pursuing advice from your faculty, deans and peers. Best,

Dr. J.