No Internship? No Problem! - Things to Do Over the Summer!
By: Ann Nguyen ‘22
So, you didn’t get that summer internship you were hoping for… that’s okay! There are plenty of other things you can do to make your break worthwhile. Whether you’re a freshman, like me, who thinks the sky will fall if you don’t find some last-minute summer dream job or a rising senior looking for one last great resume-building experience before you graduate and step into the real world, don’t fret because I have plenty of options for you.
1. TAKE IT “EASY”
Note: This one’s really meant more for my fellow first-years.
The summer after freshman year is one of your last chances for your typical break consisting of sleeping in until noon, playing Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart, going to the movies, and/or just hanging out with friends. Sure, it’s not the most productive schedule, but it’s been a tough year and you could really use the recharge. If you’re wanting to spend just one more summer as a kid again, this is really your last chance, so maybe take advantage of it! Take a road trip, go to the beach, go hiking, explore your town more, or just binge Game of Thrones — whatever you’d like. Enjoy life.
Just make sure to not completely waste the three months off from school.
Perhaps you could work on a new passion project like writing a story, sculpting a masterpiece, designing some awesome graphics, composing a song, coding an app, etc. There will be roughly 1095 hours (And that’s allowing for twelve whole hours of sleep each night!) you can use to do something amazing all on your own. Take that time to create something for your portfolio and to really just make something you’re proud of.
Maybe work a “regular” summer job at your local library, coffee shop, restaurant, or boutique. Any skills you pick up on the job could come in handy later, and you may even be able to use your particular set of career-related skills to improve your position or place of employment. At the very least, you’ll make some more money to go toward the cost of tuition.
2. ENROLL IN SUMMER CLASSES/ STUDY ABROAD
Yes, I know. More school?! Look at it this way: If you gain more units in the summer that go toward your major/minor programs, you could either graduate earlier or have more room in your schedule for other awesome classes. Unless you are hoping to get some GE’s out of the way (which once you start at USC, must be taken here), you don’t even have to take these classes at USC. Just make sure that the classes you plan to take are equivalent to some credit here, so you don’t accidentally waste any time. If you plan on taking courses at community colleges in California, visit here to see what other students have successfully transferred units for. If you’re hoping to take classes anywhere else, check out this site. If you don’t see the classes you’re hoping to take, don’t worry. Just fill out this form to receive pre-approval for credit transfer for equivalent courses.
Additionally, if it’s something you can afford, and you find a program - or simply a destination - that excites you, consider taking some classes abroad. Though deadlines to register for Maymesters this summer have passed, definitely keep our Maymester programs in mind for the future. They are a great way to actually experience what you’re learning in an engaging, immersive way. Many USC schools also have their own summer study abroad programs that you can look into for the future. Summer study abroad, in general, is a wonderful opportunity to broaden your horizons and gain valuable life experience, which is surely useful in whatever field of work you pursue.
3. VOLUNTEER
It’s always nice to give back to the community wherever you may be. It’s sometimes hard to make time for tutoring middle schoolers, making hospital and retirement home visits, or getting pets at animal shelters adopted. Summer gives you the time you need to make some meaningful impact. You could even get more friends involved and have a fun time!
If you have the time and funds, you could even commit to going on a mission trip. You can learn more about another culture and see the issues in our world firsthand. You certainly won’t solve everything all in one trip, but you can still make some small difference. Each step, no matter how small, is toward progress.
Whatever you do, you can gain a new perspective. Once more, you can likely apply the career-oriented skills you have developed toward possibly better methods of helping others or even improve those skills in real-life situations.
Relevantly, if you are interested in doing research, summer might be the perfect time! Many professors at various universities are willing to accept volunteer researchers for the summer months. You just have to do a little research of your own beforehand on which studies you would want to work on and which of those labs welcome summer volunteer researchers. Then just take a chance, contact one of those professors, and see what happens. It never hurts to try, and if you receive a positive response, you can still learn valuable skills and areas of expertise that can be applicable to your career.
4. LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Maybe taking classes aren’t really a practical option for you. That doesn’t mean you have to leave your brain un-stimulated and out of shape! No, I’m not talking about learning double integrals and vector fields — unless, of course, that’s what you’re into. It’s summer, and the options are endless. Maybe you’re a biomedical engineering major, but you have always wanted to try your hand at pottery. Maybe you’re interested in graphic design but also want to learn how to code. Maybe you’re studied French this year, but you also want to learn Spanish, Mandarin, and German. Summer can be your time to add new skills to your toolbox while simply exploring something you enjoy learning at your own pace in a much more relaxed setting.
In the same vein, you can also take the opportunity this summer to read more. Yes, reading… for personal enjoyment… Remember that? Whether you read something educational/academic or John Green or just Harry Potter again for the tenth time, it can be a really nice, relaxing practice. If you do remember liking reading when you were younger, maybe take this summer to pick up a good book again.
See? Not getting that internship wasn’t the end of the world after all! Hopefully, this list of possibilities helped you in some way. If you’re in need of something to do that can still further your career path, you hopefully find something that could work for you. If you just really need a mental health break this summer but were afraid it would make things worse, later on, I hope you find words that lessened your anxieties. Your summer and your future is going to be great.
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