One of the great things about being a student is the ridiculously long holidays. It can be so tempting to spend your time sleeping late and lounging on the beach. But that won’t be very productive or add anything to your prospects. So consider one of these ways of spending your holidays – they’ll be much more useful, and still leave you time for fun.
1. Volunteer
The opportunities for voluntary work are almost limitless. It’s also really good for your CV, especially if you can find a post that is relevant to your course or chosen profession. You’ll learn new skills, meet people, and give you a reference. Prospective employers may also be impressed by your experience.
2. Travel
Travelling can be a fun way of spending your holidays. You could consider doing a language course overseas, or volunteering. Of course travelling for the sake of it is enjoyable, but if you can add a useful dimension to the trip it can be an advantage in the long term.
3. Cultural exchanges
How does being paid to travel sound? This awesome idea comes courtesy of cultural exchanges, offered by overseas governments to university students. The purpose is to build bridges between countries and teach people about their culture. You’ll have all or most of your expenses covered, and your uni may help out with the rest.
4. Get a job
Boring, maybe, but often necessary. Working will bring in much-needed $$, and it’s better than lazing around wasting the long holidays. It also shows that you are hard-working and gives you some experience to put on your CV. Holiday work can even lead to a full-time job once you graduate, as it gets your foot in the door and gives you a chance to show what you’re capable of.
5. Working holiday
A working holiday can give you the best of both worlds. You get to see another country or region, make some lovely cash, and will still have time for fun. Foreign students studying in Australia are permitted under the terms of their visa to work unlimited hours during holidays, which provides a great opportunity to supplement their income and offset some of the costs of their course.
6. Write a blog
Blogging won’t be a route to riches, but if you want to go into careers like fashion or journalism it could be a useful way of spending your holidays. You’ll need to come up with an innovative angle, as blogging is a crowded market.
7. Charity Fundraising
Do you have a cause that’s dear to your heart? Spend your summer fundraising for your favourite charity. The possibilities are endless; you could participate in an adventure, set up a market stall, or collect useful items. This is a great route for anyone who wants to work in the charity sector or in fundraising.
8. Learn new skills
This is likely to be the only time in your life you have this much free time, so use it to learn new skills. Get your driver’s licence, learn computer skills, take an intensive language course – all of these will be very handy for your career. Or you could take a course for fun, such as creative writing, cookery, or riding.
9. Go to a festival
What student doesn’t love music festivals? These can be pretty expensive though, when you add up entrance fees, travel and the cost of camping equipment. A handy way to get free entry is to volunteer either with the organisation putting on the festival, or with a charity that will be represented there. You might even find paid work for the organisers.
10: Active holidays
There is some amazing scenery in Australia, so go see it. The best way to travel on a student budget is to hike or cycle, although you can also take advantage of student discounts and go by train. There’s plenty of free and cheap camping around the country, so you can stick to a low budget and get some exercise as well. This is also a very ecologically sound way to travel – a cause dear to many students’ hearts and much better than the pollution of air or car travel.
