Summer of Summers
The summer of summers. Not really but it has been a great summer for the most part. Being in college during the summer has its perks as I can use most of my time to do things that I want to do and enjoy myself. I work but it‘s at my school’s library so it isn’t too bad. I stay in a nice air-conditioned building during the hottest hours of the day and when I finally get out, the weather has settled.
Once I graduate from college most of these “perks” will come to a slight end as a full-time job will most likely consume my life as will the growing responsibilities that come with growing up. Many of the people that I have met at my school have graduated this last spring. I still have my friends and know a few people at the undergraduate level, but now I get to hear about these newly graduated experiences and how they are coping with life outside of school.
Life after graduation varies from person to person, regardless of what they majored in. I’ve met people that received their bachelor’s in a branch of engineering that couldn’t find work and others that were able to find employment as soon as they were able to work full-time.
From what I can see, most of these job prospects come from knowing people. Almost seems obvious. Something else that I personally have experienced is having experience in what you are studying outside of the classroom helps tremendously. Again, this may seem obvious, but it isn’t for most folks.
There are many students that go through their entire college lives not working a single minute (and no, not all volunteering and/or babysitting count). There are many jobs available for college students that people don’t seem to know about. I’m not sure if it is because no one is there to push them or tell them about these jobs or if it’s simply due to their laziness. I get it, not all entry level jobs are fun or enjoyable, but it helps build character and gives you whats most important: work experience.
I’ve done my meddling in the Computer Science field and noticed that most of the CS majors at my school only do what is required of them in class. They never seem to take it upon themselves to learn outside the classroom. Theory is great but it isn’t everything. Grab an arduino or Raspberry Pi and make something. Doesn’t have to be useful, just make something.
This goes for any other major, go out and do something in your related field that can help build your resume and experience. You will get to meet people in those fields who may have already established themselves and can help you get to where you need to be. It will also help you see if this is what you truly want to get into for your career. You honestly have nothing to lose.
Summer of summers. Long breaks between semesters or quarters are great because they allow you to look for jobs, do projects, and find ways to enhance your own life. This summer I am relearning C#, enhancing my web development skills, and working and writing more. I use what time I don’t usually have during the school year to get done what I need. From time to time I do spend a day lazily behind my computer playing Overwatch or watching YouTube videos, but that’s okay!
Use this summer to better your skills, gain new experiences, and have fun!
