8 Ways to Spend Summer (Without Spending Your Savings)

June 15, 2015

Ahhh, the student summer life. Finals are over, your dorm decor is in storage, and you’ve got a sprawling three months of vacay ahead of you. So what do you do? From organic farm work to international volunteering opportunities, professional development to road tripping, these eight things to do on summer break prove that the sunny season can be both productive and awesome.

1. GO AU NATUREL: Looking to trade the city sights for some greenery? How does harvesting grapes on a French vineyard sound? Or shearing sheep in Australia? Sign up with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and you can get your hands dirty doing agricultural work—and do a bit of jet setting besides.

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2. ALTERNATIVE GRAND CANYON BREAK: We've already extolled the virtues of alternative spring break. The good news: alternative vacay also extends to summer, with orgs like Break Away hosting trips that mingle giving back and getting away—and train future student leaders amongst destination vistas, like the Grand Canyon.

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3. VOLUNTEER ABROAD: If you don’t have a big stack of cash to splash on an international getaway, you can still get your vacation kicks while volunteering abroad. ISV is one of the best bets, as the top-rated program that lets students work on efforts ranging from conservation to children’s education, from New Zealand to Thailand.

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4. GO BACKPACKING: It's a collegiate rite of passage for a reason: Before your summer vacation is reduced from months to a matter of weeks, it's time to go on an epic backpacking tour of Europe Asia the globe. You can always go solo, though orgs like EF College Break create student-friendly backpacking trips that'll let you hitch a ride with a group of fellow adventurers.

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5. INTERNSHIPS (THAT PAY): Paying internships aren't just good for earning some cash—past studies have also shown that enrolling in one will up your odds of scoring a good gig once you graduate. If you're staying in the city for the summer, use resources like Looksharp to browse the options in your area. There's no better way to figure out what you want to be when you grow up than actually giving it a spin.

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6. LOCK YOUR PROFESSIONAL GAME UP TIGHT: No matter how you spend your summer, it never hurts to devote some time to cultivating your professional know-how. Organize informational interviews over lunch to pick the brains of potential mentors, give your resume a savvy redesign, or take the time to start your own blog or portfolio. You might just get hired based on a cool art project that shows your creative side. One of the best things to do on summer break, "professional" definitely doesn't have to mean "boring."

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1. GO AU NATUREL: Looking to trade the city sights for some greenery? How does harvesting grapes on a French vineyard sound? Or shearing sheep in Australia? Sign up with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and you can get your hands dirty doing agricultural work—and do a bit of jet setting besides.

Image courtesy of franckreporter/iStock