When your finals are stressing you out, just the idea of summer can come as a relief. While it may be tempting to spend the entire summer resting and recovering from a tough semester, it’s a good idea to work some productive time into your schedule, too. By committing to a productive summer, you’ll return to university with a clearer picture of what goals you want to pursue, more skills and experience under your belt, and a sense that you’re prepared for the semester ahead. Here are a few things you should do in particular.

Gain Some Real-World Experience

Most students find that an education alone isn’t enough to put them on a path toward their dream career. You can increase the chances of landing a great job right after you graduate by gaining some experience over the summer.

Depending on how clear you are about what you want to do, you may like to search for something specific or take advantage of any interesting opportunity that comes your way. Options include finding a job, working an internship, or even volunteering. All these could give you an insight into a particular field, develop your skills, or help you build a portfolio.

Travel

Another way to expand your horizons is to experience other cultures. Travelling over the summer is particularly ideal if you’ve been learning a foreign language at university, but you could also use the chance to volunteer, perhaps with a few different projects.

Network and Build Connections

Meeting more people in the field you want to work in will open up even more opportunities for the future. Research networking events like conferences that you could attend over the summer — in person or online.

An even simpler way to develop relationships with people in your industry is to email the professors who have had a big impact on you so far. As well as thanking them for their support, you could share some of your career goals — as they may be able to help you.

Finally, you could reach out to companies where you would like to work in the future. Ask if it would be possible to have an interview to gain more information about the work they do or if you could shadow someone on the job.

Keep to a Study Schedule

You may initially be turned off by the idea of studying over your summer break, but it does make sense when you think about it. You just need to remember how difficult it can be to get back into your routine when you return in the fall. There’s no need to study for several hours a day — reading on a regular basis may be enough.

Set Fun Goals

Make sure you have fun during the summer without allowing the time to just pass you by. One way to do this is to set goals and recruit friends to help you achieve them. Goals can be meaningful, frivolous, or something in between.

One more way to have a productive summer is to start looking for a better room for rent. Ottawa, Ontario, has a student community at Theo. In addition to receiving a modern apartment, you’ll have access to some great amenities and the chance to network with students whom you may otherwise never have met. Book your visit to meet Theo.