Why Not Having Summer Plans Isn't a Big Deal

It’s that time of year again! When you sit down for lunch at the dining hall and all conversations inarguably lead to one daunting question: “So, what are you doing this summer?” Your heart skips a beat and your cheeks turn colored as you stammer to explain why you’re still as lost in the internship search as you were in August.

But, hey, no summer plans yet? Worry not! You are at Harvard for God’s sake! With your impressive academic achievements and surely, extensive extracurricular activities, your resume can manage without a summer internship. After a grueling exam period and demanding semester, there’s honestly no better way to spend the summer than doing absolutely nothing. Trust us, this might be the best thing to happen to you yet!

While all your friends will be pounding through tedious office work day after day, waking up at 7:00 am on the dot, and commuting on the stinky subway, you’ll be living the life: drinking piña coladas poolside, sleeping until noon, and binge watching Netflix! Every overambitious Harvard student’s dream.

Take this well-deserved break to do everything you love (but can’t do during school time because, well, Harvard): actually read for fun, exercise, eat delicious homemade food.

Better yet, try something new: learn to play that instrument you never mastered, take painting lessons, join a sports team, convince yourself that you have talent outside of the classroom. You might even end up writing a book in all that spare time or getting a head start on your thesis!

Use your summer to rekindle old friendships: hang around with your childhood friends, visit your high school teachers (who obviously love you), spend more time with family. Take advantage of these three long months to travel: explore your hometown's hidden gems, take that wild trip you’ve always dreamed of, hike the Grand Canyon.

And if you’re still fixed on working this summer, worry not! There’s still 60 days for you to find the job of your dreams and plenty of opportunities just sitting there on Crimson Careers. Perhaps even consider going to one of the million OCS seminars that crowds your inbox every day...