How to Maximize Your Summer: The Oxford Student Guide to a Fulfilling Summer
Summer is the perfect time to recharge, reflect, and explore new opportunities—whether professionally, creatively, or personally. In this guide, we highlight ways Oxford students can make the most of their break, from landing internships and learning new skills to reconnecting with loved ones and investing in self-growth. No matter how you're spending your summer, there’s always room to grow—and this article is here to help you do just that.
Find an internship or part-time job
Internships and part-time jobs are perfect for gaining tangible experience to develop practical skills and build your resume. They are also a great way to earn some money on the side. Whether you are working a job that directly reflects your future career plans or not, there are many opportunities for growth. Some popular part-time roles Oxford students have include: camp counselor, waiter, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), life-guard, researcher through the SURE program, and more.
According to CBS News, service based jobs are breeding grounds for developing soft skills. Dean Carter reports that waiting tables helped him develop key organizational skills and become a servant leader, while being a camp counselor helped him develop empathy and see beyond himself. These skills helped him become a better sales person at Procter & Gamble and a better store manager at Pearle Vision. He encourages people to include these experiences on their resumes and mention these experiences when interviewing because these soft skills do not expire and can last a lifetime compared to technical skills.
Our students are also exploring various summer internships, from medical internships to corporate! Many students appreciate the foundational knowledge and skills obtained at Oxford, and are excited to bring their new experiences back to the Oxford community.
To look for internships over the summer and throughout the school year, you can check out Handshake and practice networking with alumni and local employers!
Take a class or online course
Of course, it is difficult to secure a job or internship, especially in the middle of the summer. However, you can still gain crucial skills by taking local classes or online courses. Many colleges including Emory offer online courses you can take for free. These courses offer the freedom to explore your interests and dive deeper into disciplines you are interested in. Incoming first-year Fritz Fleming, for instance, took a free course called "The Addicted Brain" taught by Dr. Michael Kuhar on Coursera.
“Although this class didn’t teach me to fuse spinal cords or fix internal decapitations like the doctors in front of me, it helped me see the bigger patterns present. I could better understand the vulnerability present in patients who have severe pain and the bigger ideas present in public health.”
Pro tip: see if your home state offers a discount or fee waiver to take courses on Coursera! New York state offers access to all Coursera courses completely free when you sign up on their site, for instance.
Spend time with family and friends
As important as it is to work on your professional journey, summertime is also a time to unwind and mentally prepare for the upcoming school year. For those who do not live close to campus, it may be difficult or rare to visit home during the school year. Therefore, while you have the time, make an effort to spend time with family and friends! Your parents would likely be more than happy to hear about your college adventures over cafe treats or a cozy, home-cooked meal, while your siblings and friends are likely itching to have another laugh with you. Spending time with loved ones offers a sense of belonging, helping with your Oxford withdrawals. Check out these fun pictures of Oxford students spending time with their friends and family back home!
Travel
A fun way to spend more time with your loved ones is to travel! Whether you are simply exploring nearby cities or flying to new countries, expanding your horizons can improve your comfort level in new settings. Going on trips can also reinforce relationships, as planning and going about the trips can help you learn more about each other.
Another great way to explore new places across the globe is by studying abroad! Oxford students can join Atlanta campus students on various study abroad opportunities where they can both engage with local cultures and gain course credit! You can read more about these programs here.
Here is a list of our students’ travel spots (both study abroad and vacations) below!
- New York, USA
- London, UK
- Cuba
- South Africa
- Boston, USA
- Japan
- Spain
- South Korea
Explore new or existing hobbies
If your hands are always itching to craft or try something new, try rekindling your creative flame this summer! From making friendship bracelets to honing your music skills to even learning new sports, keeping your mind and body in shape through activities outside of academics can protect your mental health and help your brain prepare for “real” learning in the fall. Here are some unique hobby ideas to try this semester!
Reflect
Self-reflection is an underrated skill to help ground you and point to areas of growth. Whether you reflect on your work and habits this summer, or your experiences throughout last school year, it is important to take some time to acknowledge your feelings and recognize the lessons they carry. Growth doesn’t always come from doing more—it often comes from understanding where you’ve been, what you’ve learned, and how you want to move forward.
The best part about self-reflection is that there is no set way of doing so—it can simply be settling down at the end of the day with a warm drink and your thoughts, or writing in a journal if you want to keep track of your thoughts. To help guide your thinking, here are some prompts that can help you make the most out of this mindful practice:
- Reflect on a time when you felt down. Why did you feel this way and how did you address it? How would you approach this situation if it reoccurs in the future?
- Think about a time you felt content. What made you feel this way and how can you strive for this same feeling in the future?
- What is a belief you held about yourself that changed recently? What caused that shift?
- Write about a time when your perspective changed after talking to someone. What did you learn? What prompted this shift?
- Think about a challenge you have faced. What made it feel difficult at the moment? How did you respond, and what did you learn about yourself through the process?
Most importantly, remember that you are not alone. There are plenty of opportunities to stay connected with the Oxford community, especially on social media platforms!