Making the Most of Winter Break: A Junior Perspective

This is it, people.

Winter break is days away.

I don't know about you, but I've been waiting a long time for this break. While part of me thinks the semester has flown by, so much has happened in such a short time, including here at the Career Center. From events like the Fall Career Fair, Junior Kickstart, and Senior Launch, to the rolling out of the Career Fellows program (make an appointment with us now!), and with countless info sessions, workshops, and panels along the way, I would say that the Career Center is just as ready for a break as I am. (However, the Career Center never really "breaks" - they don't stop working for students after we leave campus. You can even make a Skype/phone appointment with a Career Advisor over the break!)

While plenty of time in the coming weeks will (and should) be spent relaxing, you might get bored after doing nothing but watching every season of Friends, How I Met Your Mother, and Parks and Rec over break (confession: I did this over my last break. I'm not proud. Except I kind of am). A bunch of high-achieving Tufts nerds like us need some good intellectual stimulation once in a while. It's like food for us - if we go too long without it, we get cranky and lash out at our mothers (confession: I did this over my last break too. Again, not proud). So, before you begin your third straight week of sitting on your couch this January, consider being productive. Like the Career Center always says, winter break is the perfect time to focus on your career development. Here are a few things you can do over winter break that involve minimal effort and can put you in great shape to start the next semester off right:

I know the feeling.

Explore summer internship opportunities. Remember all those perfect internships you found on your study breaks this semester? Now is the time to learn more about them, augment your list of positions, and start filling out some applications. Speaking from experience, getting a jump now while you have a (temporary) respite from schoolwork will be hugely beneficial for you in the long-term. Be sure to set aside a good amount of time for your internship search - you'll thank yourself later.

Network in your hometown. Planning to head back home after graduation? Now is the time to explore career opportunities in your area. Whether it's contacting someone you already know, or reaching out to local professionals you don't know yet, networking is a great way to make the most of winter break. Even if you're not planning to move back home after Tufts, it can never hurt to grab coffee with someone working your dream job to learn about their story and the advice they can pass on to you. (Hint: LinkedIn is a great way to connect with professionals all over the country who want to help you succeed. Learn how to join here.)

Shadow a professional in your field of interest. If your networking travels lead you to someone particularly interesting or helpful, you may want to ask to shadow them. Short-term experiences like shadowing are a great way to get hands-on experience with a career. Even if it's only for a few days, these experiences can give you a snapshot of what a typical day or week is like for a particular profession. How do I know this? I shadowed several veterinarians two summers ago, some for several weeks and some for only a day. Regardless of the length, each and every shadowing experience I had really informed me (in really different ways) about what it means to be a veterinarian.

Attend a networking night or other career development event. Like I said, the Career Center never stops working for students. This January, there will be Tufts Alumni Career Networking Nights in both Washington, DC and New York City. For students in these areas, this is a great time to meet Tufts alumni in person (not just on LinkedIn) and learn about their careers and paths to them. If you're headed for somewhere near DC or NYC this break, check these events out! See the Career Center Events Calendar for details.

Plan a timeline for the spring. If you're still desperate for some productivity over the break, consider planning out the next few months of your life (an unknown phenomenon to me, since I barely can plan for the next week). Set a few big dates, like when you want to have all your internship applications completed and sent in and when you want to have secured an internship. You could even take a look at your class schedule and build in a weekly hour or two for personal career development time. Weekly time to work on your internship/job search, update your resume, and research careers of interest will make the entire process a lot less overwhelming than trying to cram everything into a weekend or two.



I know I've used this quote before, but it just speaks to me.

Thanks for sticking it out this far into my post, especially after I suggested preposterous notions like doing things over winter break! As I said before, winter break is of course a time to unwind and do nothing. But doing something will not only keep your mind from turning into mush before school starts again. It will get you ready to rock the upcoming semester and secure that perfect internship you've always wanted. Stay organized, stay safe, and have fun!

Until next time,
Sean Boyden
Class of 2017