Internships are difficult to get, especially in this day and age. And with finals creeping up on us, it can be frustrating when you see everyone around you getting one along with a salary while you’re trying to study for finals. But it is important to not let it distract you from studying as there are still alternate ways to make sure that you also get the same advantages, but without the actual internship itself.
One of the biggest ways to advance academically and save money is to take classes over the summer. Now you may be thinking, “how is this saving money”, I have to spend money to take classes. And no, the reason is not that “knowledge = wealth” or any of these sayings, but rather, it is more of a practical approach. If classes are taken over the summer that are able to be used as or transferred to be used as credit for your coursework, it would get you out of having to take classes. While it is important to remember that it is important to follow all the rules to do this and make sure that the credit works out, it will help it in the long run because you have the chance to graduate early. By graduating early, there is a chance of having to pay less tuition because you go to college for a shorter number of semesters. So even though you have to spend some money on the summer courses, it would be an investment into your academics timewise, which could save you money in the long run. This is also dependent on how much your summer classes cost exactly and how much you pay for tuition, but if the tuition is significantly larger than summer classes, it could be an option to consider.
Now, moving onto the idea of getting a job over the summer. When people talk about what job they have over the summer, especially college students, they tend to be talking about internships. But this does not always have to be the case. It is important to know that a job can be working at a coffee shop or working as a cashier. At the end of the day it really matters what your priorities are. Is it money, experience, or both? And it is possible to find the right job for you based on these qualities. If it’s money, you can find a job that you enjoy for the summer while making some cash in your local town. But it’s experience, try to look for a job that has transferable skills that can be applied to the industry you are working towards professionally. For example, if you are a finance major, try to get a cashier-focused job that will allow you to work with money and other financial skills that can be added to not only your resume, but also to your skill set as a person. But if you are looking for money and skills, it may take some time and research. Start off by searching for jobs in the industry that you want to work in, and then try to find what pays around your desired salary. This will make it easier than looking for a job that pays how much you want, as there is a large possibility of having too many selections to sort through.
Summer classes and finding a job that will pay you while helping you grow are options, but they are not the only ones. Maybe you can do paid research if it’s a possibility, or even work somewhere unpaid if it’s an option for you! It is crucial to remember that even if you don’t get a job over the summer, you still get very much well-deserved relaxation time after finals.
