May 12, 2023
If you’re reading this, congratulations: you’re done (or almost done with the school year! Which also means, of course, that it’s almost summer.
Summer can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some people may have found internships, others may be working, traveling, exploring Lincoln, seeing friends or family, resting, taking classes or (most likely) some combination of all of these.
All this free time after the clamor of the school year can be a little disorienting, so to offer some guidance, we asked five faculty members to share their thoughts on how students can make the most of their summers.
Nirupam Aich | College of Engineering
First of all, students should take adequate rest right after the spring semester is over. Many times, we think being productive means doing more — but that’s not true. Being rested helps us to be able to do more when needed. Resting doesn’t mean resting your body alone, but also your mind. Having a clear mind and rested body helps with planning for the future and motivating yourself for the bigger journey ahead.
Rick Bevins | College of Arts and Sciences
How to be constructive over the summer? Such a great question with answers as diverse as the readers of this sentence. I look to the summer as a time of restoration. While we still must get our work done, find those restorative activities that allow you to live in the moment — however brief or sustained that may be. For me, that can be sitting around the evening campfire with loved ones, casting a fly to the next riffle, running with the early morning owls, or staining my hands with the soil of my garden. Finding this restorative space and the clarity that follows allows me to reorganize priorities and recommit to what really matters.
Aziza Cyamani | College of Architecture
For some of us, summer is a time to kick back with friends and family, while for others it is time to reflect on the past academic year, prepare for the coming year, or work on our professional goals. Personally, I use the time to establish a good balance between work and fun and my advice will be along those lines; find time to engage in productive fun! If you are in Lincoln, I recommend getting an NIS membership and learning a new creative skill, whether it is how to use shop equipment, digital fabrication, or quilting. Most importantly, try to keep a structure around your time and enjoy the sunshine!
Ahman Green | College of Journalism and Mass Communication
When wrapping up the spring semester and getting ready for the summer, students should consider doing these few things for yourself. One, before the semester ends you should look for any internships around your major. Second, once the spring semester ends give yourself a weekend OFF! Taking time off is very important for the human body. Make sure you give yourself time to decompress from the 9-month school year. Third, make sure you write down your goals you want to accomplish in the summertime and the reminder of your time on campus. If you do not set goals, you do not give yourself motivation to complete the next task at hand.
Jenna Pieper | College of Business
Learn how to golf! You can play it your entire life and connect with amazing people on the course.
For more advice from faculty members around campus, be sure to check out our continuing blog series.