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No more teachers, no more books....Sep 28 '01 (Updated Nov 01 '01) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line * Finals week has ended. Four months lay gloriously stretched out in front of you, ready for each and every adventure you can fill them with. But what to do? Some students find themselves more then a little boring after living in the dorms, where there was always something interesting going on, or at least someone interesting around with whom to begin making mischief if things got too dull. Oh yeah, and then there's that school thing, which occupies many students' time with things such as studying and writing papers. And, come to think of it not having those things around might be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it. But I digress... A lot of young adults have found that traveling is a great way to ward off the boredom caused to lack of school, dorm life, and/or available parties in a college town. Traveling gives you a chance to expand your learning, but in a personal and very much self guided way. Unfortunately, most college students (including yours truely) do not have the funds to choose any old world destination, hop on a ship or a plane, and go bravely toward the horizon. Heck, most college students are usually doing that once a semester cleaning of the room to find enough change to do laundry. (That might be a little bit of an exagerration, however I did witness it, and more than once.) Luckily, there are lots of ways college kids can travel. All it requires is an open mind and a little research. Here are some of the things I've picked up along the way thus far... Vacation towns thrive on college kids! Think places like Ocean City, Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach, etc. (Sorry my west coast readers, I'm an east coast chick, but I'm sure such opportunities exist over there as well, thought at which beaches I would have not a clue.) Anyway, many of the businesses in such towns operate using young adults who are on summer vacation. The obvious benefit here is that you get to spend your summer partying at the beach, and you're making some money while you're at it. Depending on your major, odds are you can find great experience that pertains to your major somewhere in one of these places. If you're in the hospitality end of things, obtaining a job in one of these towns is definately a good route for you, due to the great number of resorts, hotels, resturants, and such that are needed for such a vacation hotspot. A business major? Check out the types businesses listed above, but don't forget about all of those little stores, amusement parks, goofy golf courses, and convienance stores. Whether you choose a well known chain, or a privately owned business, you will get a great inside look at things very pertinent to your area of study. If you're a performing arts major, audition for a theme park. Generally, you can audition in any major or even midsize city, or even send a tape in. Check online or on the callboard of a college with a performing arts division. It's tough work, but it's a fabulous way to get to know people in the industry as well as a very valid resume builder. These places also often hire traveling magicians, musicians, etc- so if that's more your forte, be sure to inquire. Photographers are also often needed, for souvenir photos and such. Likewise artists may be needed to do caricatures. My point is to really investigate whatever you may be into, because chances are you'll find something you can not only earn cash with, but get great experience with as well. The best way to go about getting hired and finding housing for this type of travel is to use the resource sitting in front of you now- your computer. The websites for vacation type areas often have somewhere to look for employment, and since they are aware that much of the workforce will need somewhere to live while they're there, they have resources for that too. I'd suggest sticking to official sites, and checking up things via the telephone. You want to make sure everything's in order before you hop on the Greyhound, not upon arriving at your destination with all of your luggage. Don't be afraid to ask questions either! You could search for roommates, take a few friends, or go about this yourself. But make sure you're not too busy picking out swimsuits to ask all of the same stuff you'd want to know if you were applying for a job or apartment back home. Make sure your expected arrival date doesn't conflict with finals, and your leaving date doesn't conflict with the start of the next year. Find out how you will take care of any issues that might arise with school, for example they mess up and lose your scheduling form then figure you're not enrolled. Also work out a way to pay any bills you might be recieving, and start looking for a subletter early, if need be. I'd suggest enlisting the help of a family member or good friend for that particular part of the process and making good, detailed lists so things don't become overwhelming and then get overlooked. Maybe you want something a little more...meaningful So a beach summer beach vacation with minimal expectations might sound good, but maybe you're in the market for something a bit more meaningful. Volunteering is a fabulous way to spend your summer! Just like with a vacation town, you can almost always find a place for your interests if you do a little research and thinking. But you get a ton of satisfaction as well. There are really two ways to go about this particular venture. One is to go locally, traveling close to home. The other is to get involved with an organization which will provide you with the means to act globally. Generally, local stuff is easier to get into and less expensive. Traveling overseas is more complicated. If you wish to do it anyway, call up churches and other organizations. Getting your name out is a good first step. But don't be discouraged if you can't find anything that fits the bill! Instead concentrate on what you can do and work outward from there. You could also consider your own causes and organize something yourself. But remember, if you want to work out of the country, it's probably best to do so with an established group that has investigated legalities, medical and safety considerations, etc. Traveling for fun So maybe you're not a breach person, and volunteering isn't really something you want to devote your summer to. Maybe you want to expand your circle of thinking and get away from your major for a bit. It's definately not always nessecary to travel in order to supplement your course of study, although many students chose to. Any kind of travel will open up your mind, teach you new things, help you naviagate the "real" world more efficiently, and even help you explore places you might like to live after you've gotten your degree. Travel does not have to be as expensive as it is traditionally made out to be. Youth hostels offer free or discounted places to stay, and often bus companies will have some kind of either student special or discounted tickets if you travel during off peak hours. My suggestion? Find a likeminded friend. If both of budget a little, it's pretty easy to scrounge up enough cash to go off on an adventure. Check with your college too, they might have some programs such as study abroad or foreign exchange students. If you or your buddy has a car, your options are only limited by the amount of time you wish to drive. Going to the beach for example, can be very affordable if you spilt the cost of an efficiency and gas, and then purchase groceries and cook most of your own meals. Don't forget to look locally too! Planning several mini vacations can be just as fun as a week away, and will give you time to recoup financially in between. For example, senior trip six of us went to Cedar Point. We shared the cost of three motel rooms, went to cheap places for meals, took advantage of coupons, and spent a few days riding, playing at the water park, and exploring Sandusky. We ended up finding a great playground late one night, and bowling one day when the skies were pretty cloudy. It wasn't elaborate or incredibley enriching, but it was a ton of fun. Every city has a host of attractions all its own, and even if you've lived there your whole life, you may not have taken the time to really explore all you could. Try camping at the state park, or rotating around friends' living rooms while exploring different museums, amusement parks, and other attractions. Drive across the state- you'd probably be amazed to see how different something that seems so small compared to the whole world can really be! Update: As we look forward to our plans for next summer, we've come across as idea I thought I'd share... invest in a tent and some basic camping supplies. Look at army navy stores and such, where equipment is priced reasonabley. Camping is extremely inexpensive. At Hershey for example, you can camp for around $25 a night and do everything but the amusement park for free! Even if it's not really "you thing", many camp grounds offer restroom facilities and showers of some kind. Camping is a wonderful way to save lots of money on hotel rooms, which are usually the biggest expense when it comes to traveling. You can always pack the site up and drive over to a city or attraction, so it makes your options limitless.  |
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