I know that it’s a little premature, but I can’t help but look forward to summer. I know that it’s finals time and college students are supposed to be focused, but I think it’s safe to say that we are looking forward to that light at the end of the tunnel.
Summer is the time of year when we can all revel in our ability to do absolutely nothing and get away with it.
There comes a time in all of our lives, however, when we all have to feed the monkey.
Paying bills may not be a priority for everyone, but for most of us work is a way life, especially during the summer.
For some students, this is the time of year to get ahead financially in order to pay tuition during the upcoming school year.
For those of you lucky enough to not be in dire need of dinero, a summer job offers an opportunity to be productive and build a resume.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with just kicking back by a pool with a few margaritas, though.
What do you do, then, to balance making money and enjoying the little bit of free time that you have during the year?
The answer is simple: get a job that’s fun. It may not seem that easy, but there many jobsthat offer students the opportunity to have their cake and eat it too.
Here are a couple of ideas for fun in the sun while making dough on the go.
Get an internship. Plenty of companies are looking for the next generation of CEOs and presidents. Organizations are as interested in finding their future employees as future employees are about establishing credentials within a company.
It is a little late to be looking for an internship at this point in the year, though. However, there are still plenty of good summer jobs available.
If you can tolerate kids, a summer camp is a great place to get a job. I have personally worked at summer camps myself, and there are few things more rewarding than making an impact on a child’s life (except maybe hooking up with that cute blonde counselor in Cabin 2-B).
Plus, it gives you an opportunity to get outdoors and be active instead of sitting around gaining weight and being lazy. Even if you don’t get out of town, BREC is always looking for day camp counselors and coaches.
If kids annoy you but you still want to get out of town and enjoy the outdoors, there are plenty of options available.
A friend of mine worked as a cabana boy in an upscale hotel in Florida. Besides making more than $100 a day, he also got to spend an inordinate amount of time being hit on by trophy wives while their husbands were on the golf course. Not a bad gig, unless your girlfriend is the jealous type. Then again, I guess it doesn’t matter though, because you’re in another area code anyway.
If the old lady or your man want to keep you close to home, there are still job opportunities right here in Baton Rouge.
The Zoo is a fun and interesting place, provided that you aren’t assigned to the elephant feces sanitation squad.
If you want something educational but still want to beat the heat, apply at the planetarium, Baton Rouge Art Museum or even the state legislature. All of these jobs are interesting, but really not as difficult as they sound.
They don’t hurt your resume, either.
If you are looking for something to do but money isn’t as important as self-actualization, there are many organizations in and around Baton Rouge who could use your help. St. Vincent de Paul, the YMCA, Goodwill, your local church and inner-city day camps pay little or nothing, but the experience is priceless.
Whatever you do, keep in mind that this is summer, and no matter what you do, it could be worse: you could have to go home and study afterward.