<p>In the summer after college's freshman year, what did your kids do (or what will they do)?</p>
<p>It's hard to find an internship, because they haven't taken many courses related to their majors.</p>
<p>Mine came home and worked at jobs they had after high school. It was the “only” college summer they came home.</p>
<p>My kid worked at the part time job he had when he was in high school and got an internship (unpaid) but a stipend from his college for it.</p>
<p>My DD worked at her sleepaway camp.</p>
<p>REU. Summer research at his school. $4000 for ten weeks. He sublet for $50 a month, took the bus, and had to buy food.</p>
<p>Was sad not to see him but it was important for his resume.</p>
<p>My daughter was lucky enough to get to study abroad in Paris. I think it is very common to study abroad at her school after Freshman year. It is hard to fit in all the requirements for most of the majors so most students can’t afford a whole semester abroad. The school also emphasizes internships and co-ops for the upperclassmen.</p>
<p>Mine took a class at our local u (her school gave her credit but did not factor it into GPA, so it was a low-pressure way to try something new). She liked the subject so much she is now double majoring in it. Was able to continue with hs job around class schedule and did some volunteer work relevant to her major. If your budget permits, this is a good summer for study abroad. This summer she has interviewed for on-campus research position, so she won’t be home much :(</p>
<p>One took intensive language courses at the local CC; the other did a (paid) research internship at a local cancer research center.</p>
<p>Same summer job (waterfront seafood bar/ice cream place) she had between senior yr. and freshman year. The next year she worked full-time for a social service agency in her college town, on state work-study. She had volunteered there during the school year as part of a university service club. </p>
<p>We miss having her at home, but she grew up a lot through the experience. If she doesn’t find an internship related to her major this coming summer, she’ll probably work there again.</p>
<p>Worked as an assistant manager at one of the city pools. Took 3 classes, including a lab science. It was pretty ugly. I don’t recommend it. </p>
<p>This summer, hopefully same job (books don’t buy themselves!), but just ONE class, not a lab science, and some volunteer work on the day off from the pool.</p>
<p>Major specific paid summer internship.</p>
<p>Our daughter was very fortunate to land a fantastic paid internship the summer before her freshman year. She returned there the summer after her freshman year. She positively enjoyed working there. This upcoming summer, she will intern for a highly regarded company in her field. She will earn about $14,000 even though I think she would intern there for free. What a great opportunity!</p>
<p>The summer between freshman and sophomore years both of my d’s worked at the same summer jobs they had the previous summer, one at local beach as a pass-checker and one at nursery school day camp, but she also picked up second part-time job at a knitting store. She became quite a knitter at school and she worked there as well when home on Christmas break sophomore year of college. It was her first experience at retail and it has proven to be good experience in the long run.</p>
<p>My older son did computer programming work. My younger son took an intensive Arabic course in Jordan. He hadn’t done that well in it freshman year and his major requires taking a language course every semester or until fluency is achieved. Made a big difference. The following summer he didn’t get an internship though he applied to as many as he could, so he worked at Tufts for their conference bureau. It was a mix of setting up bedrooms, making coffee, getting things ready for the conferences and manning the desks at night, answering questions etc. He enjoyed it - there was a lot of camaraderie. If I recall correctly, they were allowed to use their laptops when they were on night shifts. They were put up in one of the dorms and paid a nominal fee and were given one free meal a day, which made up for the less than stellar pay - though it was more than minimum wage!</p>
<p>My daughter took two classes and worked part-time as an EMT. My son worked full-time on the local borough’s buildings and grounds crew.</p>
<p>One went to summer school on campus. One went to work as a counselor at a summer camp.</p>
<p>Did travel sport, just like they did all through HS.</p>
<p>Mine all worked. The current college kid also took some courses and went on a trip with friends, but he worked to make money for the next year. Costs went up. He had a course to take since he was changing his major. The trip was a great opportunity, but it cost money. He had some unexpected expenses and could not get the hours he had hoped to get second term at a job he found on campus. His room expense went up more than the price increase alone would have raised that cost since he got a single in the room lottery. It’s been a tight year financially for him and for us, and we’re all glad that he got home earlier than most college kids in this area did and get some work hours under the belt this past summer. Still going to be tight.</p>
<p>S1 worked and spent a month training with the Navy (NROTC requirement).</p>
<p>S2 went to both sessions of summer school at his university.</p>
<p>Need to work but yet got one or started looking. Got paid internship in HS so expect to get one after one year of college. Fingers crossed.</p>