The holiday break is upon us! The hallways at work are becoming a ghost town, as students complete final exams and pack up for the month-long holiday break.
For most of you, this is a great time to relax, detox, and enjoy family and friends. However, I've seen one too many student return in January and you would think they never passed a course or worse, never took one. To circumvent this all too annoying amnesia that falls upon so many college students, there are a few things that EVERY student should do over the holiday break to help prepare them for the next semester and for the rest of their college experience:
1. Review material from any courses you completed this semester. The Internet, more importantly Google, Wolfram Alpha, and the likes have completely dumbed down our society and students. Too often, students try to remember just enough information to get through the class. Once the semester is over, they toss it in the garbage can, never to be used again...so they think. The problem is, the course you enrolled in for the spring semester (and subsequent years) is building upon that course that you just barely passed because you really didn't understand the material. And here is another news flash, you actually need to UNDERSTAND the material in your classes. Review any concepts that were difficult, find additional information that will help reinforce your learning. You WILL see the material again..trust me.
2. Get caught up on current events. This will help you identify a number of things of importance to you, including student loan regulations, healthcare extensions for dependents up to age 25, job outlooks, and more. In addition, a potential employer or graduate school could ask you a question about current events. You don't want to become a deer in headlights. More importantly, you want to be a well-rounded individual who has more to talk about than last night's episode of "X Factor."
3. Update your resume. Your resume is a working document. It should be continuously updated with new awards, scholarships, leadership positions, extracurricular activities, and relevant courses each semester. Keep this current. You never know when you will have to submit it for an internship or job opportunity.
4. Review your plan of study. There is nothing worse than a senior in a professor's office 2 weeks before graduation crying because he/she didn't complete all the necessary courses or receive the appropriate grades to graduate. If you are consistently reviewing this each semester, then there are no surprises at the end. In addition, you can update your registration for the spring semester, to retake any courses or ensure you are on track to graduate on time.
5. Search for financial aid. Unless you have a 0 balance (meaning no student loans), you should apply for scholarships and grants to help towards your college expenses. Just because you took out student loans doesn't mean you can't apply for scholarships and grants. Apply, apply, APPLY. And ask professors BEFORE you leave for the break to write recommendations. We disappear just like you do (usually).
You may think this is a lot but, trust me..it's not..my Christmas break will be spent getting caught up on work. Somehow it's the only time I can actually stay head down enough to get work done. You have MORE than enough time to dedicate a few hours a day to these activities and still completely enjoy your time off. And remember, you want to always be a step ahead of the rest. The only way to do that is to always stay prepared. Remember, if you stay ready, you won't have to get ready...
Looking for more info? Check me out at Prepped for Success!
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