Summer -- just reading the word evokes images of shorelines and tan lines. of days spent soaking up the sun and nights spent making warm memories with friends. I believe that no matter your age, education or job status, summer is always met with anticipation. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t anxiously await those sunny days that lead to a little more free time and a lot more happiness (if not only for the sudden increase in Vitamin D).

Students, I encourage you to take advantage of the time you have this summer. You don’t have 20 credits filling your schedule with group projects and midterms to worry about. You have three months of solid time. For some, these three months may be a time to relax and take care of you. The stress of the school year is insane and these summer months might be more than necessary to help get your mind and your body back in good health. Make plans with friends or make plans with yourself. Take a long bike ride to a place you’ve never been. Spend some quality time with the family dog and take him or her for daily walks. Eat good food and listen to music. Go to bed at a decent time (when you can) and wake up with the sun. Take pictures, paint pictures, or go look at pictures at galleries and exhibits.

Maybe you know your summer can’t be all about relaxation. You have internships to complete, volunteering to do or jobs to show up at. Those can be great for you too! Speaking as someone who has been there and done all of that, I can tell you that you will benefit from diving into a field of work that you are pursuing and working alongside professionals who have as much passion for the job as you do. Yes, waking up at 6:00 every day is the worst and being stuck indoors for the majority of the day is hard. But the beautiful thing about summer internships and jobs is that they are only three months. You are gaining so much experience and insight in such a short period of time. The connections you make with people at work and the skills and life lessons you pick up while interning or volunteering are going to last you well past these three months. It is a wonderful thing to be able to fully immerse yourself in a job or internship for three short months and then head right back to school in September with all of the knowledge you picked up over the summer.

Speaking as a recent college graduate who is attempting to save money for the future, I can truthfully say that as much as I love my job, I need the summer to relax and unwind too. I think that is entirely possible. No matter where you’re at with school or your career, summer can be a time of relaxation. Take time before or after work or interning for yourself. Wake up a little earlier (I know, I know, but you can do it) to go on quick runs in the morning or make yourself a decent breakfast. Make plans after work or on breaks to get coffee with friends and catch up. Use your weekends to lounge by the lake or attend free concerts. Make the most of the few warm months we get. Further your career, make money to pay off loans or to use while you’re at school, or do nothing and get yourself mentally prepared for the Fall. No matter what you choose your summer to look like, just don’t forget to appreciate it. Because pretty soon you’ll be lugging around a 20-pound backpack and constantly checking Moodle for your grades to be updated, and these warm summer months will be as fleeting as your tan lines.