Summer is something I think most students take for granted. Depending on your level of study, you either have this as a wonderful two month long break, or a four month long break. When you finally graduate from school, chances are you won’t have these breaks anymore.

So, how can you make the most of these wonderful months before they become a thing of the past?

The first suggestion is likely the one most people don’t want to think about; getting a summer job. There’s quite a lot of pros that come with working during the summer. This list even includes the feeling of being more productive with your time, rather than sitting around all summer.

Having a summer job will give you a sense of how money works, as well as give you your own spending money. Remember all those times you asked your parent(s) for something and they said it was too expensive? When you have a job you’ll likely have a better gage on how much something is actually worth, which is quite a valuable skill to have.

The job will also give you experience. When you go job hunting at a higher level, many companies and businesses often look for those with experience – sometimes it may not even be particularly relevant experience, as long as you can spin it so the skills you learned can transfer to the job you’re looking into. Not to mention it also beefs up your resume, employers would much rather see that you worked a summer job than you’re interested in soccer.

Additionally, having a summer job can also help you determine what you do and don’t like. You’ll only be at this summer job for a short while, so if you end up disliking every aspect of it, no worries! It just shows you what to avoid later on in life. On the flip side however, you could also take a summer job in field you didn’t think much of, and end up loving it. Summer jobs can be a good way to test the waters and try new things – an opportunity that won’t last forever.

Of course, summer shouldn’t be all work and no play. As mentioned, summer vacations aren’t going to last forever and you should take advantage of them while you can. Perhaps your parents or friends are planning a trip to go somewhere. Lots of events also happen during the summer for people to take part in, such as comic conventions, Pride parades, cultural events, cooking festivals, music festivals, and more!

Be sure to use these long hours of daylight to your advantage! It’ll be all too soon before we’re back to below zero temperatures and nights that start at 4 pm.