Few can recall a Midwestern winter quite as brutal as that of 2013-14. Frozen by subzero temperatures and trekking across an Alma Mater-less tundra, many students survived these months with only their Netflix accounts and freaky fast Jimmy Johns deliveries to keep them going. 

However, with the school year swiftly coming to a close, it is nearing that time of year to begin contemplating the reality that summer vacation is nearly upon us.   

The first glimpse of summer, following a winter so devastating, graces even the most down-and-out college students with the increasingly rare taste of ambition. But where should you apply this ambition during these summer months?

Most professors, parents and responsible adults in general, will likely advise college students to invest their time in internships.

These internships are meant to provide valuable work experience as well as put a little gold star on our resumes.

While this is certainly excellent advice, the reality is that not every student will find employment at these various internships. BBC News reports that in some of the most popular industries, such as IT, marketing and business, there are usually over 100 applicants per internship — and that is a lot of competition. 

However, for those who do not find a position at their prospective internship this summer, don’t fret — there are many other ways to derive meaning from your summer than interning to gain work experience.

When I consider my most meaningful summer months in regards to their significance to my development, I think back to the values I learned from past summers.

The first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to summer is the value of having free time.

After the rigors of a long and demanding academic year, there is perhaps nothing more therapeutic than having some time off. This means not having to worry about homework assignments due the next morning, your exam on Monday or the project your group still has not met to work on. During summer you can simply exist — and how strenuously you exist is entirely up to you. 

This can entail acquiring new skills or developing new hobbies, such as learning an instrument, or instead can be based around enjoying your leisure time, such as going to the pool with friends.

Through this free time, individuals have the time to embark on activities that promote personal development outside of professional pursuit. These activities and free time can sometimes be unattainable during the school year and during a full-time summer internship.

Another value that can be discovered during a summer free from responsibility includes a greater appreciation for one’s physical well-being.  In my opinion, physical health should be a 24/7 pillar of each individual’s life, as it is one of few things that can actually extend your longevity.

In the summer, not only is the weather finally conducive for outdoor physical activity, but individuals finally have the time to hit the gym or go out and go for a run. However, with the workload and time commitments of a summer internship, such physical maintenance is not always obtainable. Unfortunately, as college students, and Americans in general, physical well-being is often put on the back burner for a good portion of the year — most notably by putting on a pair of sweats and “bumming-it.” 

Those who strive to maintain their physical health are rewarded by looking the least revolting when doused in sweat from summer heat or enjoying a casual afternoon at the pool. 

As I try to understand the top values I’ve learned through my past summer experiences, I find colossal dissonance between my learned perception of worth and the simplistic, primal understanding of satisfaction.

I think back to the summer I, to this day, fondly refer to as “the greatest summer of my life.” I read over 15 different novels, I got in the cliche, but satisfying, “best shape of my life,” and most importantly, I discovered myself. 

It seems to me that when you combine unlimited time to explore yourself and a pleasant and encouraging environment, you have a formula for growth that no university or internship company can uncover. Sometimes finding ourselves is the one thing we haven’t invested time for in our never-ending search for fulfillment and success. 

If you are one of the many college students who are not fated to hold a full-time summer internship from May until August, I implore you to consider the joys of summer — you might just discover something worthwhile.

Jed is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].