<p>pretty straightforward topic...</p>
<p>do you guys work over the summer/ where do you work?</p>
<p>I haven't yet, but my parents have been pressuring me to get off my butt and stop mooching. I am not even going to think about it until May or June though.</p>
<p>People are already lining up jobs for next summer. It's so competitive around here (DC area)! </p>
<p>I'm starting lifeguard training in a few weeks, and I might get a second job at cold stone creamery. I might also do some volunteer work at the childrens hospital or the national aquarium.</p>
<p>Coldstone is absolutely delicious.</p>
<p>I love coldstone! it would be one of the last places I'd want to work though.</p>
<p>I worked for one summer, before my junior year. I worked for the WA State Dept. of Ecology, on an Ecology Youth Corps crew. Basically, I and four other teenagers picked up the garbage off the side of the highways of one and a half WA State counties. 7 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday, for minimum wage. Yes!!! :D</p>
<p>If you work over the summer how many hours do you usually work? and where do you usually work?</p>
<p>I worked 40 hours/week as a riding instructor at my stables' summer camp. Imagine keeping track of, let alone actually teaching, a large group of inexperienced kids on horses outside in 90+ degree heat and 90+% humidity without a chance to sit down... for $6.15/hour (as it happens, the MD minimum wage is lower than the DC one, which is around $7; I make $10/hour babysitting and $15 tutoring). </p>
<p>It was a good experience, but it wasn't a very good job, in terms of getting money in return for your effort. I'm glad I did it, but I'll be working somewhere else next year.</p>
<p>I waitressed last summer, made excellent money, but it's a tough job full time. This summer I'm thinking waitressing lunch, bookstore employee evenings. Which is masochistic, but hey, college is expensive..</p>
<p>For the summers of '05 and '06 I worked as a tennis instructor (for little kids, natch, nothing too serious) at a nearby club. I made $8/hr in '05 nad $10/hr in '06 for basically babysitting and teaching kids to hit the ball, playing games with them, getting them Kool-Aid when they were thirsty. I worked 25 hours/week and made a hefty sum at the end of the month. :)</p>
<p>This summer I'm doing an internship in San Francisco with 7x7 Magazine (local SF mag), and all I know is that it's unpaid. I have absolutely no idea what I'll actually be doing -- my mental image of a magazine internship is the stereotypical get-the-bosses'-coffee :p One perk, besides working in a field that I may want to pursue, is that the office is located next to all the major stores in the city :D</p>
<p>What's better to do during your summer a job or a summer program? My college application will be kind of weak cuz I haven't done much so a summer thing would be good, but I would much rather have a job and earn money. :)</p>
<p>Also for those who do summer programs if they only last a month what do you do the rest of the summer?</p>
<p>I think that a job would look better than a program. A program shows your interest in learning new things, but a job shows that you know that your finances need to come first (especially if you are lower-middle class). I know that the libraries and bookstores around my area start hiring at 16, so that's where I intend to work.</p>
<p>Also, I think that most summer programs do only last for up to a month. I suggest spending the rest of the summer doing community service. Getting a job for two months hardly seems worth it, but it is really up to you.</p>
<p>A job would look better than a summer program if the summer program is one of those prepackaged program type of things--like the Rustic Pathways programs, where it's expensive, guided and all planned out for you. On the other hand, if you travel abroad or do something independently--for instance, last summer I traveled to France and spent a month on my own studying at a Eurocentres language school--it shows more maturity and initiative on your part and less flaunting of wealth. </p>
<p>Of course, it does cost money to do any special summer activity besides simple employment. If you really do need that money, or really don't have that money to travel or participate in a program, then working (or volunteering in your community) is the best option. Just don't make it a Burger King job. :p</p>
<p>In my opinion.</p>
<p>The past two summers I've worked at the same jobs that I worked at during school. I imagine I'll probably work at least two jobs this summer to save up for college...meh.</p>
<p>sciencenerd: I think that regardless of whether you get a job or do a summer program, it should reflect upon your interests. i'm guessing you like science ( :) ) so if you could get a volunteer job a science museum or something, it'd probably look better than doing some random program. But if you were going to a really prestigious program, or the job was going to be something trivial like fast food (no offense, money is money, but this guy is talking college) then i'd say do the program. it's all up to you.</p>
<p>Vegan Actress: Not to be offensive, but I'm kind of confused: don't vegans not consume dairy products?</p>
<p>Our area has no jobs--for adults or teenagers. My first job was at Dairy Queen, when I was a Sophomore (started during school Freshman year). I couldn't find one the next summer. Lucky me, I got a job as a busser this summer (bad/hard work) at Hanna Bistro and Bar (really great upscale restaurant with great employees/owners/customers). I hope I'll get an internship or a job at Borders (they're always hiring) this year.</p>