Ah, summertime! School is out, and there's plenty of free time to— work?

Yes, the days of sleeping in and soaking up the sun are over. I may have completed my first year of college, but there is so much more to do!

Summer jobs are typical for students headed into their second year of college. A summer job is a way to earn some pocket money before returning to school, or to beef up the Job Experience section of a resumé.

All of my friends have jobs this summer: waitress, summer camp counselor, sales rep, and many more.

My boyfriend works as a dishwasher for a new restaurant in his town, and works wedding receptions and proms in the evenings. My cousin, who studies Fashion Merchandising at university, is a salesperson for Swarovski Crystal.

Summer internships are also common for college students. Though they often are unpaid (or paid in gift cards rather than cash money), internships provide valuable experience, usually in the student's particular field of interest.

Most of my friends and family I know are returning to a job they held before they went to college. The rest are starting an internship with a company in their future career field.

Neither of these is the case for me.

I do not have a job. I am not completing a summer internship, either.

When I hear others talk about their crazy and interesting work experiences, I feel a pang of envy. They're busy, of course, but also really happy. Sometimes, I can't help but feel like I'm missing out.

However, despite not having a formal 9-to-5 job, I am quite busy this summer.

I recently finished an InDesign training course via the American Graphics Institute. This was a two-day webinar, Monday and Tuesday, from 9:30 until 4:30— a time frame I would have struggled to fit into my schedule if I was working full-time.

Next week, I will complete the Intermediate training; both of these courses with prepare me for future design work at college and in the Publishing industry.

I also have two summer classes scheduled from July through August: an introductory Sociology course and Calculus I. These are the last two core curriculum requirements I need to fulfill for my university.

By taking these classes this summer, I am able to take more classes during the semester, in order to complete my three majors. Furthermore, I can free up some of my time for internships during the Fall and Spring semesters.

While I do not have a typical summer "job", I am still working hard this summer, completing coursework and gaining skills that will benefit my career choice.

Jobs are so valuable because they teach how to apply important skills, in practice. My work this summer definitely achieves this. Thus, my efforts should be valued on the same level as those of my friends.

The lesson I've learned this summer is that not all jobs pay you monetarily. Some jobs pay you with a sense of accomplishment!