The time we’ve all been waiting for has arrived, when we can forget the stresses and worries of the year and (hopefully) get some TLC time in — the Summer is here!
After the arrival of the cherry blossoms, the summer heat, and the final season of Game of Thrones, you may be feeling at a loss with how to spend your time. Unless you’re a trooper and are taking summer school, chances are there aren’t many obligations weighing you down, and you might start to feel the days slip by. I frequently catch myself thinking, “The summer’s here. Great! But, now what?”
I, like most people, want to stay productive and make the most of my time, but when I have no agenda and a day to myself, what can I do try to achieve that? That’s why we’ve put together a Summer Survival Guide so that you don’t have to scour the web for “productive, cool things to do” this summer!
1. Time to Plan Your Time!
The summer is an amazing but puzzling time. Students suddenly have so much of their day to themselves that was previously being taken up by classes, meetings, and studying. The best thing to do in this situation is to hold onto your scheduling tricks that got you through the semester!
Planning your time is essential to keep track of and make the most of your beautiful summer days so remember your old friend, your calendar!
TIP: Keep your calendar and your agenda updated and active, with an online tool like Google Calendar, so that any additions you make will automatically sync to all your devices!
2. Figure out your direction!
One of the most important things a student can do in the summer is preparing for the year ahead. For example, you can use the summer to explore your major or program, and learn more about the fields that interest you. This will help you have a clearer picture of the kinds of internships, jobs, and opportunities to look out for.
Many online platforms like BlogTO, Narcity, and Buzzfeed have major-related articles, resources, and sometimes even job postings on their websites. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for cool opportunities like this Narcity one!
Written by: Marzia Abdulla
Edited by: Annie Limbana, Jenny Bang
TIP: If you’re in first year of Business Management, you’ll have just chosen your major for the next 3 years, congrats! Daunting, isn’t it? No fear, the RMA is here! Find out more about the marketing major, as well as get some great advice with our Marketing Survival Guide blog post!
3. Build your net(worth)work!
Once you’ve discovered the fields you’re interested in, speaking to someone working in that field will help you gain a better understanding of their work. Don’t be afraid to use this time to contact the professionals you admire and ask them about their work. You can even score a coffee chat this way, and begin to find the job of your dreams!
TIP: Using your LinkedIn to contact professionals and keeping it updated and interesting will score you extra brownie networking points! Professionals love to help students out; it wasn’t too long ago that many of them were in our shoes!
4. Go to marketing events
You don’t need to wait for the school year to start to find cool marketing events. There are loads happening all over Toronto. There are plenty of companies that run workshops, boot camps, seminars, and networking nights in the summer!
TIP: A simple Eventbrite search for marketing events in Toronto will help keep you on your marketing toes!
Interested in learning about content marketing strategies? Check out this Marketing Workshop happening in June!
Don’t feel like leaving your house? Try a webinar; Red Academy has one later this summer!
5. Share your experiences and join the cycle of learning!
Our social networks are so vast these days that we are guaranteed to find someone in our network who share our interests. Share your marketing experiences this summer on your social media and you might just find a buddy for the next event you want to go to!
TIP: Sharing your experiences also creates a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, which makes us more likely to stay motivated. Use those bursts of motivation to create more momentum and stay productive this summer!
Tune into RMA’s Instagram takeovers at @rmaryerson and learn more about the field of marketing!