This story was published on the Career & Professional Development Center’s blog, Peaks & Valleys. 

Summer is here. The sun is shining. But now that we made it this far… what should you do with your summer? Check out this list of five things for some ideas of what you could be doing this summer.

1. Grow your skillset

When you think of growing your skillset you probably think of the usual ways; internships, part-time jobs, full-time jobs, etc. But there are also other ways of challenging yourself. Identify an area where you feel like you need some practice or experience and design a personal project to get you that experience. Are you a photography major that hasn’t done product photography? See if you can practice for your friend’s Etsy store. Are you a math major that wants to get experience in the Python platform? See if you can give yourself a project that increases your knowledge. These projects are not only great ways to test your skills, they are also 100% resume-worthy and something employers love to see.

2. Talk to some professionals to explore career paths

Summer is a great time to explore lots of different career paths using an Informational Interview. I posted an article on my personal LinkedIn that details how it works. If you have questions about a specific career, if you want to learn what’s possible or if you just want to get some advice, conducting some informational interviews is a great option.

3. Update your documents

Since the school year has ended, now is the perfect time for you to update things like resumes, portfolios, LinkedIn/Handshake profiles and anything else that you have. The classes that you took and skills that you’ve developed are still fresh in your head, so getting it down on paper now will be more helpful in the long run. When you don’t have the pressure of an upcoming job/internship search, updating your documents is a lot easier. In addition, you never know when an opportunity might arise so being prepared at all times is a good habit to get into. You can review your documents and get virtual support from the Career & Professional Development Center here.

4. Wear sunscreen

Protect your skin. It’s just a good idea.

5. Take a break

Not everything has to be go go go all the time! If you feel super tired after the past year and feel like you just need to chill for a bit, you have my permission to do so. You can’t perform at your best if you aren’t recharging yourself when your batteries are low. Spending time in nature or with family, doing some hobbies that have fallen by the wayside, or even catching up on your favorite show is actually beneficial in the long term.

As a reminder, Career & Professional Development Center is open during the summer, so if you want to take this opportunity to make progress on some career things, feel free to schedule an appointment! We will also be taking a break with the Peaks & Valleys blog this summer and will be posting monthly instead of weekly.