Ever since I was young, I kept on challenging myself into making the 2-month hiatus from school a productive one. Yep, I am a nerd but not in a goofy fashion. One summer I took up guitar lessons along with my older brother. I learned how to swim, joined a youth camp, and got to ride a horse all during summertime.
Now that I’ve finished school and have all the time in the world all 12 months of the year, I still look forward into using up the lazy hours and the sunny days into learning something new and doing something useful.
So here are a few ideas that could help you start out a cool summer project of your own, one that’s sure to keep your brain buzzing all summer long.
Snapshots of Summer. Taking a great photo symbolizing summer for the entire school vacation. I tried this one, the 60 Days of Summer set from my Flickr, a year ago. It was fun since I had a task to do every single day and I got to practice using my camera a lot. In the end, it turned out to be a digital scrapbook of how fun my summer was. Post the photos online so you get the sense of commitment from being able to publicly proclaim the project. Flickr enables you to get better and constructive feedbacks for budding shutterbugs. Posting it at Tumblr is a great place as well. So grab a camera and click away.
Grow a New Tongue. Learning another language has always been in my bucket list. Being able to speak, read, and comprehend another country’s lingo is an all-around useful skill. The great part about it is that you get to use it your entire lifetime. It was during one of my younger Japanese cousin’s summer vacation here that I got to learn speaking basic (really basic) Nihongo. Also, the summer after I graduated from college was the time I started teaching English to Korean students. They did learn a lot of English idioms from me, but I learned speaking, reading, and writing Hangul. So learn a language through free online courses at LiveMocha or buy a textbook and learn the language at your own pace and time. (Tip for Filipinos: I’ve bought the cheapest never-been-used Spanish textbooks at Booksale. Gotta be patient and lucky in digging through piles though.)
Porfolio Makeover. The adult side of me has won this one over. Each summer, as the surge of fresh graduates try and take over the job application scene, it does affect the entire freelance market. Since I do apply to the jobs I get and I have to present a portfolio, I feel the need to push myself harder in getting the projects that I want to work on. So I gather all my previous works, set up a new look for my portfolio page, and then zest up the place with new write-ups, themes, and fireworks. For a fresher take on portfolios and resumes, creative heads at Carbonmade and Portfoliobox are phenomenal at out-of-the-box ideas.
Acquiring a New Skill. I’ve tried silk screen printing, videography, coffee brewing, and currently I’m obsessed with rubber stamping. Think of an interesting hobby or skill and learn how to do it. And get newly found respect for people doing the same hobby with complete awesomeness.
Now that I’ve finished school and have all the time in the world all 12 months of the year, I still look forward into using up the lazy hours and the sunny days into learning something new and doing something useful.
So here are a few ideas that could help you start out a cool summer project of your own, one that’s sure to keep your brain buzzing all summer long.
Snapshots of Summer. Taking a great photo symbolizing summer for the entire school vacation. I tried this one, the 60 Days of Summer set from my Flickr, a year ago. It was fun since I had a task to do every single day and I got to practice using my camera a lot. In the end, it turned out to be a digital scrapbook of how fun my summer was. Post the photos online so you get the sense of commitment from being able to publicly proclaim the project. Flickr enables you to get better and constructive feedbacks for budding shutterbugs. Posting it at Tumblr is a great place as well. So grab a camera and click away.
Grow a New Tongue. Learning another language has always been in my bucket list. Being able to speak, read, and comprehend another country’s lingo is an all-around useful skill. The great part about it is that you get to use it your entire lifetime. It was during one of my younger Japanese cousin’s summer vacation here that I got to learn speaking basic (really basic) Nihongo. Also, the summer after I graduated from college was the time I started teaching English to Korean students. They did learn a lot of English idioms from me, but I learned speaking, reading, and writing Hangul. So learn a language through free online courses at LiveMocha or buy a textbook and learn the language at your own pace and time. (Tip for Filipinos: I’ve bought the cheapest never-been-used Spanish textbooks at Booksale. Gotta be patient and lucky in digging through piles though.)
Porfolio Makeover. The adult side of me has won this one over. Each summer, as the surge of fresh graduates try and take over the job application scene, it does affect the entire freelance market. Since I do apply to the jobs I get and I have to present a portfolio, I feel the need to push myself harder in getting the projects that I want to work on. So I gather all my previous works, set up a new look for my portfolio page, and then zest up the place with new write-ups, themes, and fireworks. For a fresher take on portfolios and resumes, creative heads at Carbonmade and Portfoliobox are phenomenal at out-of-the-box ideas.
Acquiring a New Skill. I’ve tried silk screen printing, videography, coffee brewing, and currently I’m obsessed with rubber stamping. Think of an interesting hobby or skill and learn how to do it. And get newly found respect for people doing the same hobby with complete awesomeness.
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