Whether you have a job or internship off campus, a research experience at Amherst, or you’re planning to mostly relax and recharge at home here are a few ways to have a meaningful summer.
Reflect on your first year at Amherst
You did it, you made it through your first year of college! First off, truly take pride in this accomplishment because successfully completing this phase of your educational journey is a huge milestone. Next, think about your first year experience.
What classes did you enjoy or dislike? Why do you think this was? Were there any memorable campus activities or clubs that you were a part of? Any that you wanted to join but couldn’t? Reflecting about what you liked and disliked inside and outside of the classroom can help provide some guidance to you in your internship and career search. You can also take a brief self assessment to explore your passions and strengths even further.
Engage Your Interests
Engaging your interests this summer can take many different forms, from formal experiences to self-directed learning. There is no singular “correct” version of a successful summer; it can look like an internship, but it can just as easily be a local job, volunteering for a nonprofit, a self-directed creative project or plowing through a reading list. Whether you are staying on campus for research, taking an online course, or campaigning for a candidate you believe in, the value of the experience depends on your intentionality. Even if a role seems unrelated to your primary interests on the surface, you can extract significant value by maintaining a learning mindset. By staying curious about how different systems operate, how people solve problems, or how systemic problems show up in different aspects of our world, you can turn every experience into a one of self-discovery. Ultimately, the most productive summer is the one tailored to your own curiosity; it looks different for everyone but should be specific to you!
Learn Through Others’ Experiences
Developing relationships and learning from mentors is such an important part of professional growth. The summer can be a wonderful time to re-connect with high school teachers and coaches who helped shape you both personally and academically. Sharing with them stories about Amherst and leaning upon their support and wisdom can provide some necessary direction or actionable next steps.
Creating new connections with peers or alumni is another meaningful way to utilize your summer. Ask open-ended questions and demonstrate genuine curiosity about their background. This will lead to having more meaningful conversations. Just be your authentic self!
Create Momentum for Future Opportunities: Get Confident in Your Resume & Profiles
Finding time to thoughtfully update all of your experiences and accomplishments during the semester can be a little tricky. Polishing your resume by strengthening your bullet points and formatting can go a long way to landing your dream internship. Maintaining an accurate Handshake profile will increase your visibility to recruiters and relevant opportunities. Browsing, closely reading, and saving posted roles on Handshake can also be quite beneficial in your preparation for next summer.
Need help or have any questions about these resources? The Loeb Center is open all summer long so don’t hesitate to reach out via email to schedule a virtual appointment.
