Preparing for a Summer at Home

College’s around the United States are letting out for summer.  Many students will be returning  home to save money and visit their old high school friends.  It can be a difficult adjustment returning home after being independent for 9 months.  You’re used to setting your own hours, not worrying about a bed time, and making your own rules.   While your mom remembers the little kid who couldn’t stay home alone.  It can be difficult for the mother to identify their child as an adult, and it can be difficult for a student to break old habits when coming home.  Here are some tips on how to gear up for a great summer vacation while maintaining boundaries and rules with your parents.

Define Boundaries

If you want your parents to think of you as an adult, you should act like one.  Have a good old sit down talk with them, face to face about what you want your new boundaries to be.  Negotiate if you should have a curfew at all, where you will be sleeping since your brother took your old room, and how to keep sane during the summer.  You and your parents should each discuss your specific expectations for the summer vacation, such as chores, family time, and other things of that nature.

Just try to work and reason with your parents like adults, I’m sure they will understand and listen to you if you are reasonable.  It can be important to establish the rules and boundaries before you go about and start breaking them.

Getting a Summer Job

The first few weeks of summer will be great, you just got finished with the stress of finals and your ready for some relaxation.  You can sleep however much as you like, do whatever you want with your massive amount of free time, and hang out with all of your old friends.

Unfortunately after the first few weeks of summer vacation, this will start to get really boring.  You need something productive to do with your time so that when people ask what you did for summer – you can actually reply with something rather than say, “oh I just sat around, you know”.

If you want a good summer job you are going to need to start applying right away, many other students are coming back home and you will face tough competition for getting a job.   With this economy, you need to get out there and apply to as many locations as you can find.  The more places you apply to, the greater chance of scoring an interview.  Use your parents to your advantage and network with any friends or family who know someone that might be able to get you a job.

Take Courses at a Community College

It is always smart to get ahead in your college hours, take some courses at a local community college.  You can get your boring required core classes out of the way, and save a ton of the money at the same time.  It is always a good idea to take a few classes at your local community college to get ahead and stay productive.  Community Colleges tend to be  a lot easier than regular universities, and a lot less expensive.  This is great for anyone wanting to get their core courses out of the way and improve their GPA.

Just be sure to make sure to meet with your advisor to see which courses will be countened for which requirements.  I know many fellow students that are going to be taking classes during the summer, it is almost the norm lately.  Don’t sit around all summer with nothing to do, be productive and get ahead in school.

Don’t Waste Your Summer – Do Something Exciting

After college you won’t have summer vacations anymore, the workforce does not let out for the summer.  Take advantage of your break and do something that you will remember for the rest of your life.  It can be anything really, just plan something and grab it by the horns. Here are some ideas:

• Roadtrip with your friends across the US
• Travel with the family or friends to somewhere exotic
• Spend time with your siblings – they miss you, even if they don’t show it
• Go to the beach and get your tan on!
• Go camping
• Reconnect with old friends
• Develop and rekindle your skills and hobies

photo the sunflower house by xtacocorex