During quarantine, I found myself with so much more free time than usual. And I decided put that time into growing my social media channels and creating content. I’m working on my side hustle, which generates a small income for me. While, some of my friends were watching Netflix all day… It made me realize two things: time is money & how important my side hustle is for me. Can you imagine how many things you could do if you limit your Netflix time to only a couple hours a week or if you stop endlessly scrolling through social media? Don’t get my wrong, I love Netflix, but I also think it is a waste of time if you’re spending multiple hours a day on it without learning much. So, here are 15 things you can do as a college student during the summer to further your career and set yourself up for success.
Honestly, I have no idea what I would be doing if I didn’t have this side hustle – it is pretty much what drives me. This summer, since I’m not taking any classes, I have decided to take on 4 internships. I’ll be writing an article all about internships, so stay tuned!
Get an Internship
As mentioned before, I have four internships this summer. And I found all of them on Indeed. There are so many fully remote internships, which gives you flexible hours. Internships are a good way to learn and gain experience. A lot of companies would rather promote their interns to a full-time position than bringing on someone new. Make the most of it and by the end of the summer you’ll be able to add something on your resume.
I’m working on another blog post all about internships, feel free to leave your email below to get the article straight to your inbox!
Take a Free Online Class
Because of covid-19 there are so many websites and companies offering free online classes. I have enrolled on about 5 classes on Coursera so far. There are so many classes about literally anything (click here for the list). There are classes about coding, business, sociology, personal development, marketing and so much more! Hopefully you’ll learn something that will help you in life, probably to get that dream job or at least you can put something on your resume. It is also possible to get a certificate but you have to pay about $50 depending of the course. Click here for more free online classes.
Learn a New Skill
Learn a skill that is maybe related to your major. Maybe you can learn how to code, how to play a new instrument, how to do graphic design, you can learn how to use photoshop. For most of these skills you don’t necessarily need to take a class or spend money, you can learn by yourself watching youtube videos.
Make a Life Plan
Now is a good time to reflect about your life and to set some goals. Ask yourself where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years. Start setting goals and break them down into smaller goals and into an actionable plan you can start working on now or in a close future. How are you going to achieve those goals? Don’t forget to set timeframes for every small step and small goal.
I was asked today where I want to be in 10 years or in the future and honestly my answer was: “I want to be my own boss, have a nice and big place in New York City and have two dogs”. I don’t know any specifics yet or how I will get there. That is definitely something I have figure out and start working towards.
Make a Vision Board
The idea behind a vision board is to put in a space you see it often and visualize what you want every day. You should put in your vision board anything that inspires you and motivates you. How do you want your life to look like? To read more about vision boards, click here.
Volunteer
Because of covid-19, volunteering isn’t the same as it used to be. But you can definitely volunteer remotely during the summer, click here for ways to volunteer remotely. I had to include volunteering to this list, because it is great to give back to your community and to help. A plus is that it also looks great on your resume.
You can help by interning/working for a non-profit. One of my internships this summer is at a non-profit that focuses on empowering and educating young women.
Read a Book
To be completely honest, I’m not a big fan of literature. And before you start hating me, I have never been a fan – it is just boring to me. I’m more visual and would rather watch a movie (which also takes less time). The only type of books I ever read are self-development and finance books. I like reading books that educate me and teach me something. Whether it is about spirituality or investing on the stock market.
I’m compiling a list of books I read & loved, and books I want to read this year. Leave your email below to receive that list straight to your inbox!
Find a Hobby
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and try out different activities until you find one you like. It can be drawing, painting, playing a sport, blogging, photography. Anything that might interest you. \
Freelance
Is there something you are really good at? It could be product photography, website building, graphic design, writing, literally anything. You can sign up at Fiverr or Upwork and start applying to projects. A lot of people and companies constantly looking for freelancers. This way you can earn experience and some cash.
Listen To a Podcast
I have recently gotten into podcasts. One of my favorite ones is Call her Daddy! Anyways, I usually listen to a podcast in the mornings or while I’m on social media. I like it because you can multitask while learning something. Whether it is about the Gluck Gluck 9000 (only call her daddy fans will understand) or about real estate. There are podcasts about literally everything, from the influencer industry, to sex, to finance, to real state, literally everything.
Declutter Your Life
Another thing college students can do during the summer is to declutter. Declutter your closet, your desk, your home. You can up-cycle or donate your clothing and things you don’t use anymore. Especially if you’ll be a freshman in college next semester or year now it’s the perfect time to declutter.
Clean Up Your Social Media
It is very important to declutter your social media accounts as well. Unfollow or unfriend toxic people or people who make you feel bad and don’t inspire you or motivate you. Unfollow influencers who make you feel insecure or high school friends you couldn’t care less about. Create a safe environment for yourself on social media, where after scrolling on Instagram or whatever social media platform, you feel happy, inspired and motivated!
Also, delete old emails, files and pictures. Clean up your laptop’s desktop. And don’t forget about the photos you posted years ago, but now would die if your crush ever saw them. If you wouldn’t like an employer or your crush to see it, just delete, change the settings to private (on Facebook), archive it (on Instagram).
Use Social Media With a Purpose
Social media can be so addicting, but it can also be a powerful tool to further educate yourself. For example, on Tik Tok there is so many fun videos, but there is also a lot of educational ones. Whether it is about fashion, skincare, finance or anything you want to learn more about. You can definitely gain insight from people working in the field you want to work in, in the future.
This seems ironic coming from me since I’m a influencer. But, I go on social media with a purpose at least most of the time. I go on instagram to post a photo, post stories and to engage with those who follow me and to find new inspiring accounts. I don’t like wasting time. Time is the only thing you’ll never be able to get back or get more of.
Start a company
I don’t know about you but this sounds so intimidating for me. You could start a small business or just make your future business plan. Add details, set timeframes, include how much money you would need.
My current boss (one of my internships), started his first business while he was still in college – it didn’t work out, but it was definitely a learning experience for him. And after a couple years he founded a very successful organization worth way over 6 figures.
PS. this post was written early in 2020, and wow. It’s the end of 2021 now and I was just reading this and it’s crazy to think I recently started a business in technology. It’s called Klaia and it’s a software for content creators to manage admin. Learn more about Klaia and follow me on my entrepreneurship journey!
Practice Self-Care
While most of these activities are about learning and furthering your career, it is also so important to relax and take care of your mental health. It is the most important thing, don’t ever forget that! During the summer, focus on your well-being and mental-health.
If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear them – leave a comment below!
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