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Summer is right around the corner for students at Grand View University. We all may have different reactions to this depending on what we have planned for the summer. When in the face of a break coming up after two busy terms, thinking about ways to optimize time or ways to add to our schedules during the summer may not be the most amazing thought. However, this important thought process not only can lead to self-improvement but also optimizing time and truly enjoying each moment of your break all the more.  

How we strategize our summer can bring us ahead in the game or drag us behind. This is not to say that you must fill your summer with everything possible to make yourself busy to feel productive. Sometimes the best thing you can do to be productive is to take a break, but the best way to enjoy the best of both worlds is to make sure to balance things out. 

As someone who has let the time of summer break breeze by before, it is pretty safe to say that in drifting away from keeping a routine, it can be a lot harder to ease into the fall semester.  

It’s just like taking too long of a break from playing an instrument or sport and then picking it up suddenly. Your habits and skills may be a bit rusty. 

Taking a break during the summer is important, but having that break while also maintaining habits along the way can be a life saver for your overall well-being. As they say, consistency is key. So, let’s use the summer to our advantage. Here are different ways you can optimize your time during the summer, whether it be for your future career, building overall habits and gaining skills or simply having fun. If you already have busy plans upcoming this summer, here are ways to soak up the summer and relax too. 

Summer classes, internships, volunteer work, and getting a summer job are all ways you can gain experience, skills, and prep for your future career. This may seem cliche, but it makes all the difference. Not only do you gain experience, but it is also something to practice your habits and skills to keep the consistency going. Summer classes and internships can be beneficial for you if you need to pick up a few credits to graduate on time. Not only does it help with keeping routine and structure during the summer, but if you are still unsure if what you are doing is what you are really looking for, participating in these things can help you learn more about yourself and what you really find joy in.

Viking Volunteers Advisor, Heidi Pries, finds lots of students in a similar experience. 

“We have a lot of students that come to college and say ‘I know I want to go to college, but I don’t know what I want to major in.’ Services are a great way to figure that out because you can get exposed to so many different things, you can find your passions through service,” Pries said. 

Director of the Career Center, Haley Peeler, emphasizes how important it is to learn about what you really want in a career.  

“Sometimes the best skillset is to learn more about their own career aspirations and learn ‘is this a career area that I want to move toward or is it something that now that I’ve gained some experience I’m not really as excited about that and maybe need to think of some different options,” Peeler said.