The summer is a perfect time to start a new hobby, make some money, or do something fun. What can be overlooked during the summer is the fact that you can use this free time to sharpen your skills and learn more about something that could help you with your career. Here’s a list of things you can do/accomplish this summer to help you step up your game:
Job/internship: This one is pretty obvious. This can help you learn real-world skills and also a great addition to your resume.
Volunteer: If you find an organization you really care about, this can show employers that you are passionate about helping others or making a difference in your community.
Start a blog: It doesn’t have to be PR related; it can be about anything you would enjoy writing about. Are you studying abroad? Volunteering in a different country? Really enjoy baking? Write about it! Starting a blog is a great way to keep your writing skills in tact.
Travel: Studying abroad is a great way to learn the cultures of different countries. Visiting other states can be fun too. Now if you’re as broke as me and don’t have the funds for a big trip, go on a day trip to a different city.
Make videos: If your an aspiring videographer, the summer time is great down time to make all the cool videos your heart desires. Plus, it will be a great addition to an online portfolio.
Create a graphic for each day: I’ve heard of people challenging themselves to make a small graphic each day in order to maintain their skills, treat their creativity and cure boredom.
Practice your writing: If you aren’t into blogs and want to take the more traditional PR route, try writing some press releases, fake new stories, etc. Anything to keep your writing and grammar skills up to par is beneficial in the long run.
Listen to podcasts: Podcasts are a fun way to hear insight from PR professionals and new trends.
Learn how to use new editing softwares: For those staying in Lubbock who have regular access to the library computers, or computers with a variety of Adobe softwares, take the summertime to teach yourself a new software like Photoshop or something. The library offers Lynda.com which is a website where they have a ton of tutorials on probably anything you can think of. Learning how to use Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc. are great skills to learn that will extremely help you later on.
I hope these help you conquer boredom this summer. Do something this summer because it can be simple but effective- even if you can’t put it on your resume.