As more and more college students get out for summer break, the anticipation of a long, carefree vacation builds. About five minutes into my relaxing summer daydream, I get stressed out.
While our friends from other universities are already home securing the few summer jobs available, we are here, hopelessly panicking that we have nothing on the summer schedule besides lazing around. And while that might not sound so bad, there’s no denying the feeling of uselessness that will surely creep up after a few days of doing nothing.
Until now, I thought that college summers would be even better than all the summers before them. I expected an extra month of fun activities, plus no pesky summer reading projects to complete.
I’m still excited for summer, but I’m also sick and tired of trying to make plans for a productive break.
Some argue that the point of summer is to be unproductive, but almost everyone else plans to attain more than a good tan. Obviously, there needs to be some middle ground, and that’s what I’m aiming for.
The problem is that finding a job, an internship or a class to take is easier said than done. Planning a summer should not be a source of stress and hardship, but rather a reason for excitement and anticipation.
Many students’ definition of productivity is income. The struggle to find a summer job is always difficult, and with the state of the economy, it’s nearly impossible.
College students who will be back at school in a matter of months are not desirable job candidates. On top of that, students who are already on summer break are snatching up the few potential jobs back home while we’re still here studying for finals.
“I’ve applied for over 10 jobs, most of them summer-camp counselor positions,” first-year undeclared humanities student Kaycee Spalding said. “I keep getting turned down, or they just aren’t calling me back. A lot of places are hiring college graduates now, and it’s really frustrating because I worked at some of these camps in high school. I’m afraid I’m going to be spending the whole summer doing nothing.”
Considering the scarcity of paying jobs, I assumed it would be an easier task to find an unpaid position for the summer. I arranged an internship at a lab in San Francisco where I did a job shadow during high school.
The lab administrator told me that I needed to provide proof that I’m receiving credit at school for the internship. When I looked into getting credit at UCLA for my work, I found out that the class I could take is only open to third- and fourth-year students.
Finding a summer position becomes particularly challenging when the location is far from where someone goes to school.
“I’m stressed because I’m taking summer school at UCSD, and I want to find a job, too,” first-year undeclared social sciences student Jenny Ta said. “It’s really hard to get hired because most of the places want interviews, and I can’t really drive all the way to San Diego just for an interview.”
The planning process for summer school students is equally difficult. Not wanting to be away from home, I looked into classes at other colleges that I could enroll in. It’s quite an ordeal to figure out which classes from various colleges will transfer and fulfill requirements at UCLA.
On top of that, classes fill up quickly, and enrolling is nearly as stressful for summer as it is during the year.
For students taking classes here in Los Angeles, finding housing is an added challenge as many subletting options are limited. Many students report being enrolled in classes but not having a place to live.
With all these problems complicating a supposed vacation from stress, I wonder if it’s possible to just take a deep breath and calm down. If students could focus more on the idea of warm summer nights and less on the frenzy of finding work, then they could take a more levelheaded approach to planning.
Students should use resources on the Internet, such as Craigslist, to their advantage, and scan the classified sections of the local newspaper. Try to stay connected with job or internship opportunities at home by getting updates from family or friends. And once summer starts, pursue any possible lead with enthusiasm.
If the idea of the job hunt to come is still stressing you out, focus on the fun summer plans you’re making, not just the resume-building ones. After all, the countdown to summer should not be a source of anxiety.
Hoping for a summer of poolside smoothies and impromptu camping trips? E-mail Goodrich at lgoodrich@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.