<p>So Cav suggested this thread, and never started it, so I figured that I would. There aren't a lot of current students on here, but the few of us come from many different backgrounds/majors/academics. Hopefully it can give future students a glimpse into college life beyond semesters and an idea of what they can do. </p>
<p>For me, last summer I worked at an electrical engineering company helping develop a chip to regulate laptop batteries. This summer, I'm working for Texas Instruments, doingly mainly hardware projects and testing of a new project. It's been a great experience for me This past winter, I took a 9-day course over "J-term". It was an STS course that fulfilled a requirement, and was a GREAT class. It was a lot of work, but the teacher made it fun and interesting so it didn't seem like a ton of work. I suggest Jterm to anyone who finds a class interesting. Spring break was spent at home doing nothing at all :P
And that's my breaks so far!</p>
<p>Winter breaks are usually spent at home, except for J-Term students or international students who spend time with family or friends in the states. I do like to bring my friends up during winter break to see "The North" (haha, I have such rural VA country friends who have never been north of the Mason-Dixon line).</p>
<p>Summer: well my first summer, like most other first years, I went home and worked a bit. I also took a class at the local CC. I did know a few first years who stayed in CVille. This summer I was forced to take 2 classes due to scheduling conflicts (I'm in the 5 year BA/MT program, my BA will be in Math and my MT will be for elem. ed... hence the scheduling problems, obviously), but I was planning to stay in CVille regardless (though, to work). A large number of my upperclass friends stay in CVille for the summer, either taking classes, working, interships, etc. I do know a few (e-school kids) who get internships in far-away places (West Coast). This summer I also went home for a bit and went to the shore, etc. Next summer I am definitely planning to work (...again... here's to no more schedule conflicts).</p>
<p>Spring break: I always go visit friends in far-away places (Michigan; Grove City, PA - north of Pittsburgh; etc)... A lot of people go to the beach or home or wherever. People also go to the beach the week between finals and graduation ("beach week"). I don't think any of my non-UVA friends have had the same spring break as me so that's something to consider when it starts approaching as well (you proly don't wanna be home for a week when none of your friends are there).</p>
<p>Your breaks are really what you make of them and what you need from them. If you need money more than relaxing, you should work. If you're going crazy from being overworked, you might wanna take the break time to relax. If you really miss your high school friends or family, go visit them. W/e. It's all up to you. :)</p>
<p>Also, my breaks are typically cut short by my work schedule here in CVille - I teach Hebrew at the local synagogue and this year we had work until the week before Christmas and then starting January 2nd (...yes.), and I had work in the middle of spring break both my first and second year; I don't expect that to change. Thankfully I have a car to drive myself here and there, and that I live in upperclass housing that doesn't close over winter break. I took the opportunity to rendezvous with friends in CVille to travel places with them. Like I said... Breaks are what you make them and need them to be.</p>
<p>Man its been a while since I've been on here. Oh well its late and I can't sleep.</p>
<p>I worked at NASA for two summers, but this summer I just finished up an internship at Jefferson Lab (particle accelerator in my home town). I do physics or something. I'll be a second year this year.</p>
<p>I'll maybe be back at JLab during winter break. Other breaks I like to spend with the lady friend since she goes to Swarthmore.</p>
<p>How the heck did you pull an internship at NASA. I know a deputy director and live near DC and couldn't even manage to get one. Bleh! But it's ok, Orbital Sciences looks promising for next summer ;)</p>
<p>I worked at Langley Research Center, so it was one of the less glamorous NASA centers. First time through I was in high school in a summer residential governors school internship program. Second time I did a program called LARSS at NASA Langley. Check it out it was a pretty cool program: NASA</a> Langley's Office of Education : LARSS</p>
<p>Whatever ehiunno, we all know you're tight and will save the universe from collapsing one day. Keep on doing ya thang ;)
And I looked at LARSS, I actually have a friend in it. Didn't really want to live in the Hamptons last summer, and TI is hard to pass up, even for NASA, so I didn't apply this year.</p>
<p>Seriously, TI is a sweet place to be for an EE. Depending on the NASA center and project, TI can easily be a better choice.</p>
<p>LARSS was nice for me since I am from the 757 (represent!) so I could live at home fo free during the internship and see my friends and girlfriend. Same was true for Jefferson Lab this year. Its nice being from a place with a solid research foundation. Too bad I'm not too interested in aeronautics or nuclear physics.</p>
<p>This summer I have a management consulting internship in DC. Last summer I worked in IT consulting/management, and the summer before that I worked backstage at a major concert pavilion.</p>
<p>Most of my friends are spending the summer doing research or working in management consulting/finance. There really are a lot of options for motivated UVa students...</p>
<p>Those internships you listed are exactly what im looking to participate in this upcoming summer. You make it seem like there are a lot of internship opportunities for those that will work to get them. How would i go about seeking out these opportunities? Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated. </p>
<p>There definitely are a lot of job opportunities for UVa students, particularly if you're motivated and smart. You can find internship listings on the career center's website or on the websites of companies you're interested in. You also have plenty of opportunities to meet recruiters on-grounds at various events and fairs.</p>
<p>Be aggressive and shrewd in pursuing a job and try to have some idea of the industry you're interested in. Build up your resume and be prepared to sell yourself well in an interview. </p>
<p>If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Cavalier302. There are a lot of job opportunities for motivated UVa students. The Career Services Office lists a plethora of companies with internship positions. Plus, plenty of companies recruit on Grounds. While I was at UVa (which was quite a while ago), I interned at the United Nations and was a summer associate at MTV. If there's a company you really want to work for, just go for it. Do a lot of research on that company and wow them during your interview.</p>
<p>well, I'll be different here and say that my summer had NO ACADEMICS/INTERNSHIPS/OTHER things that require the use of my mind haha. Since the next 4 summers of my life (and the last 2) will be devoted to academics/internships/other, I took a break this year and went to India for a month. I started indian classical dance 2 years ago and loved it so I went there to train with one of the best. (Training in that heat was intense; my teacher thought no AC would make me develop more stamina.) I had a few performances and it was nice to de-stress before college starts. And I went shopping and saw family, which is great. The summer before that, I worked at NIH and the summer before that, I was at JHU for a precollege program.</p>
<p>For next summer, I'm hoping to intern at NIH again and my dance school is performing at the Kennedy Center (:D) so I'll be busy with those rehearsals as well.</p>
<p>This summer I had an Internship at the Bank of America. Hopefully it will be a springboard to a more interesting interesting internship next year. </p>
<p>Something that pays well and is close to the beach in Cannes would be good.</p>