Sometime, VietNam International Students spend summer break working on your U.S. college campus or taking a course.
As an international student, you will probably want to make summer plans a little earlier than your peers – at least a month in advance. Here are some ideas of what to do during this fantastic time.
1. Go home:
This is the obvious option. Your friends and family probably miss you very much, and it’s time to go back and hang out with everyone.
International airfares can be expensive, so I would advise booking tickets and applied for a Vietnam visa at least two months in advance. Before you leave, don’t forget to stop by the international student services office to make sure all of your paperwork is up-to-date.
It also might be a good idea to call close friends and family back home and ask what they want you to bring back from the U.S. – their answers might surprise you.
My relatives have an unusual obsession with vitamin pills and always ask me to bring back giant-size bottles of fish oil and vitamin A. So as of now, I can tell you everyone in my family has a really strong heart and good eyesight!
2. Find a job or internship:
Many schools offer on-campus jobs that you can do over the summer. You could save a great deal of money by spending the summer in this way, and there are usually people who stick around campus with whom you can hang out.
Near the end of the school year, keep your eye out for ads for on-campus jobs, or get a list of them from the career center. Many professors also look for research assistants over the summer, so you can ask if they need help – research jobs often pay quite well.
Another option, particularly if you are between your junior and senior year, is an internship. By this point, you probably have an idea of what field you would like to go into after graduation. Having had an internship will make you a more desirable candidate once you graduate and start looking for a job.
Talk to the college career center staff about your interests, and start searching for an internship a few months before the end of the school year. Also make sure to ask the international student services office about paperwork you will need to work at an off-campus job.