Winter break is the perfect time to unwind and catch up with your family and friends you haven’t seen in a while. It can also get really dull, as it’s a month-long break with no structure. Some students choose to work or take classes over winter break, but even those leave you with some free time. Instead of using that time to zone out on the couch and binge TV shows, choose to do some of the following tasks that will benefit you in the long run.
Create a LinkedIn profile
If you’re not already on LinkedIn, join it over break. LinkedIn is a valuable networking and career tool. It’s a social networking platform for professionals. You’re able to add your resume for your profile and search for jobs and internships right on the site. There are many recruiters on the site who may reach out to you if they feel you have the qualifications they’re looking for. Be sure to connect with people you know, like classmates and coworkers.
Update your resume
Keeping up-to-date with your resume is an important, and often forgotten task. Take some time over winter break to work on yours. If you completed an impressive project or finished a capstone course this past semester, be sure to add that. Make sure your GPA and any Dean’s List distinctions are correct. If you had an internship during your fall semester, add it under career experience. Your resume is a chance to highlight everything you’ve accomplished, make sure yours is portraying you in the best light.
Sell back textbooks
Practically every course you’ll take during college requires you to buy a textbook. For your major classes, keeping these books can be valuable as they offer information that can aid you in your career. However, not every book is one that you need to hold on to. If you have textbooks laying around from some of your general education courses, use your winter break to sell them back to a bookstore or online seller. While you won’t receive as much as you paid for the book, you’ll still get some extra money you didn’t have before.
Research graduate programs
If you plan to attend grad school, winter break is the perfect time to research programs and even visit a few schools. Even if you don’t graduate for a few more semesters, it’s still valuable to start looking now. This will help you to get an idea of what programs are out there, and what requirements there are to get in. Some programs may require a portfolio or the completion of a certain amount of internships. Knowing what requirements there are helps you to prepare yourself and make sure you’re on the right track.
How to Make the Most out of Winter Break
