As an international student in Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, or the United States, you will usually get the months of June, July, and August as summer vacation. (If your semester started in September.) In Australia, because it’s in the Southern Hemisphere, summer vacation lasts from mid-December to late January. This is a long period of time to be off from school. So what will you do with all of this spare time? There are so many different things you could do over the summer months. Take a look at the list below for some things to do on your summer vacation as an international student!
1) Explore the city
You are probably still getting used to your new surroundings. So go exploring! There are usually many things for people to do around town. You can go to local shops and restaurants and really experience this new culture. There might have been places you wanted to visit through the school year, but didn’t have any time. Well now is your chance to do all the things around town that you wanted to do through the school year.
2) Get outdoors
There are many outdoor activities you can do. You can go camping, hiking, or go to the beach! These are very fun activities that many domestic students love to do throughout their summer vacations. These activities are a great way to experience the outdoors and summer weather. Go swimming at the beach or canoeing when you are camping! You can find great locations for these activities from people on your campus, or by searching online! Get a group of friends together so you can all go experience these adventures together.
3) Go to music festivals, local events, and other summer activities
Festivals, whether they celebrate different cultures, types of music, or a bit of the region’s heritage, can be a highlight of your summer. Many cities hold their own events, or you may have to travel to a different city to attend a larger event. These festivals are so much fun to experience with friends. Enjoy the outdoors while listening to music and eating great food. Many downtown areas will have events for you to enjoy. Of course, these events will vary on theme depending on where you are living.
4) Enjoy your hobbies
Did you have something that you loved to do back in your home country? Maybe it was sewing, drawing, or singing? Take this time to do some of the things you enjoy most. These are stores located everywhere where you can buy supplies for your hobbies. Or look into community events and maybe you can find groups of people who enjoy doing the same thing you do!
5) Spend time with new friends
So it has been almost a year of being in a new country. Why not take some time to get to know your classmates and new friends out of the classroom setting. You can enjoy some of the activities listed above with friends you have made throughout the year. All these activities are great ways to get to know people. You can experience these fun things with a group of people to make the summer memorable!
6) Find a job
As a full time international student, you may have the opportunity to work part-time. You may have already been working part time through the school year, but if not, the summer is a great time to look for a job (and during the summer, you can usually pick up more hours than you can work during the school year). Take the time to write up your resume and then apply to jobs. You can apply to jobs online, or your college or university might have a job board of available jobs on- and off-campus.
Curious about good part-time jobs? Check out our job recommendation lists for students in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia.
7) Prepare for the next school year
No matter what year of your program you are in, it might be a good idea to prepare for the next year. Take at least a small portion of your summer to brush up on what you have learned in the previous semester. Depending on the school, your courses for the next semester will usually be posted before the end of the summer, so you can take a look at what you will be doing and prepare yourself.
8) Organize your room
Whether you are living in a dorm, apartment or house, it is a good idea to stay organized! Give your room a good cleaning so you can have a fresh start for the next semester. Try to get rid of any notes or school projects that you won’t need, so your room won’t be so cluttered.
9) Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to connect with your new community. It’s also a good way to spend some of your summer vacation! You can find volunteering opportunities like how you would look for a job. Try looking online (volunteer databases and centres are a great place to start, whether you’re in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, or Ireland), or looking for volunteer positions on campus. Volunteering will give you some great experience, let you build your network, and may help to guide your career path.
To stick with it, try to align your volunteer role to a cause you care about (the environment, health and wellness, disease research) or something you enjoy (sports, animal welfare, the arts). In some cases, like volunteering with arts or sports organizations, volunteers get to see the game or the performance for free sometimes! So volunteering can be a good way to give back and enjoy something fun at a lower cost.
10) Relax!
Take this time off to just relax. The school year can be stressful, so enjoy your summer vacation and forget about the stress. Stay at home, go on an adventure–no matter what you do, just remember to enjoy your time in your new country, and gain as many different experiences as you can!
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