Summer Update
It has been nearly a month since finals ended, and I barely know what day it is, which means summer is officially in session.
What, you ask, does a Vanderbilt student do over the summer?
Many things! Some common activities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Internships (paid or unpaid)
- Research
- Jobs
- Study abroad
- Taking classes at Vandy or at home
- Traveling (personal or with a program)
- Community service of some kind
- Other cool activities!
Here is what I’ve been up to so far!:
I am working 20 hours a week as a student research assistant in the field of health literacy, 10 hours a week as a summer intern for a nonprofit, and filling up the rest of my time with hanging out with parents and friends, playing tennis and working out, shadowing doctors, and traveling! I’m also slowly starting to prep for the MCAT, which I plan on taking next spring.
Wow, writing it out makes all of that seem like a lot, but I’ve actually felt much less busy recently than when I’m at school. I’ve probably just gotten so used to the “work hard play hard” environment of Vandy that I just try to stay busy and productive when I can! That being said though, I pretty much just slept during my first week home, letting my body recover from the high stress environment of college and finals season.
Though I miss being at Vanderbilt with my friends and always having something to do, I do try to take advantage of my summers at home. I know a lot of college students rarely spend much time at home anymore, but I like to have a nice balance. I’ll admit, being home with parents can feel a bit boring or uneventful at times, compared to friends’ social media posts or thinking back to campus during the year, but I try to make the best out of being here and close to my family. For example, I have found some great opportunities here that I would not have found if I was not already familiar with this community, like my internship and shadowing.
Pro tip from a rising junior: When finding a summer activity, whether it be a job, internship, or something else, having the name of Vanderbilt actually can open a lot of doors. But, of course, it’s up to you what to do with that opportunity once you’re inside of the door.