Summer is that time of the year when school work becomes actual work. Some lucky college students are productive and successful over the summer, landing prized internships or moving their way up in management positions, while the rest of us work for minimum wage at our jobs from high school and spend all our tip money before we can make it to the bank. One day, when I was half-asleep watching "Grey's Anatomy" on Netflix after coming home from a way-too-long shift, I started to wonder what types of summer jobs all the characters would have had during their college breaks. They might be successful doctors now, but they had to start somewhere, right?
1. Cristina Yang: Studying Abroad
Cristina would never take a full three months off from classes and risk someone getting ahead of her in school. She'd be off in some foreign country taking a full course load of credits and making valuable connections in case she ever needed a favor. No time for silly things like sightseeing or relaxing, only keeping her future career in focus.
2. Meredith Grey: Intern
Meredith is less hardcore about her career than Christina, but she'd still make sure to be doing something productive and resume-enhancing between semesters. She's hardworking, likable, and probably would become the favorite employee with her cutesy smiles and name recognition.
3. Mark Sloan: Lifeguard
Dr. Sloan takes any opportunity he can get to show off how attractive he is, so he would have loved a job that allowed him to be shirtless all day, letting everyone see his perfect six-pack and tanned skin shining in the sunlight. He'd have girls pretending to drown left and right just so they'd get to be saved by him. Plus, he looks great in sunglasses.
4. Owen Hunt: Personal Trainer
Being an army veteran, Dr. Hunt is all about regime, discipline, and personal strength. No doubt he would have spent his summer breaks working at a gym, probably getting there earlier than his shift started to fit in his own workout, and motivating clients to push themselves as hard as they could. I know I would spend my tip money on his training sessions in a heartbeat.
5. Arizona Robbins: Camp Counselor
There's no better job for the head of Pediatrics than working with children over the summer. Dr. Robbins would make the perfect camp counselor -- she's cheerful, likes to make people smile, and would be the least likely to hate their life after spending eight hours outside playing kickball with 20 screaming kids.
6. Miranda Bailey: Tutor
Just as she taught all of our favorite characters during their internships and residencies at the hospital, Dr. Bailey would be tutoring students during summer break. She'd most likely scare the kids into doing well on their tests and homework, and who knows? Maybe this is where she first got her nickname "the Nazi."
7. Richard Webber: Boss
The Chief would undoubtedly be in some position of authority no matter where he was working, whether it be manager, director, or even owner of the place. He likely started learning his leadership skills way before he became head of surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital, and over the summers probably worked his way up the totem pole.
8. Izzie Stevens: Volunteer Work
No one on "Grey's Anatomy" has a more loving heart than Izzie, and she absolutely would have loved to busy herself over summer break doing things like nonprofit work, trips to Haiti to build orphanages, or community service projects. She'd be the one volunteering at food pantries and feeding the dogs at the animal shelters (and probably trying to adopt them all).
9. Derek Shepherd: Swim Coach
Even though he's a focused and esteemed neurosurgeon, Dr. Shepherd has an outdoorsy adventurous side, motivating him to do things like build a house in the mountains, go fishing on days off, and move from New York City to living out of a trailer in the woods in Washington. As a college student, he probably worked any job that let him be outside doing something fun and active, like teaching kids how to swim. And, like Dr. Sloan, he would have enjoyed letting everyone see him shirtless all day.
10. Jackson Avery: Family Business
Just like Meredith, Jackson's last name gives him automatic attention and an advantage when it comes to working. His family's huge fame in the medical world and their international foundation likely would have given him a leg up in getting a job during college. He would have started his career during the summers at the Harper Avery Foundation, enjoying a position gifted to him by his parents, sitting in on board meetings and using his dreamy smile to gain favor with everyone.
It gives me hope for my future to know that even world-famous surgeons probably had less-than-exciting jobs during summer breaks as college students. Maybe one day while I'm lounging in my penthouse office suite on Wall Street, I can look back and laugh at all my summers spent lifeguarding and babysitting, desperately trying to save every cent I earned.
Hopefully.
