Summer thoughts for our students
I truly feel for our college students in the times of COVID 19. Most of them went from living on their own with their best friends to living at home again with their families. That is one thing but then put on top of it not leaving their homes, practically ever, taking online classes, with for many minimal directions, and then the colossal worry that is a global pandemic. It is hard enough for us parents to understand, and we have had many more years of experience in learning to cope with life’s challenges. Everyone is worried about how our young people are coping and also concerned about getting them active and thinking about the future. I keep hearing from friends how their children have turned into vampires, only awake at night. It’s funny, but it is not.
What happens once classes are over in the spring? Most of our children’s summer plans have been canceled. What are these young people going to do? What happened to high school summer programs and college internships? Now is when we have to get creative. It does not matter if your child is in high school or college; people will want to know what they did during this time. Colleges will look at high school students and say is this someone I want on our campus? Did your child sit home watching Netflix all summer eating Ben and Jerry’s, or did they do something creative and productive? Future employers are going to ask the same question of your college students. Some of you will ask why can’t we just let them be? You can, but I genuinely feel if your child spends some of their time doing something helpful, they will serve their future better and feel better in the present. This is a very hard time, and what each of us does determines how hard it will be. So what are some things they can do?
I am working with one student who is a beautiful singer. She and others have been singing outside of nursing homes. I am sure it does as much for their psyche as it does for the seniors who gather at their windows to see and hear those beautiful, healthy young people. I heard another story of a California friend’s high school student whose robotics club used their 3D printers to create shields as PPE for their local health care workers. That is true genius and an amazing use of time. Parents, please help your child think of their skill set and what they can do to be both productive and valuable right now. I guarantee it will not only help others but also make them and you feel a lot better.
SUMMER PROGRAM/INTERNSHIP INFO FOR COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
7 Tips to Transform a Cancelled Summer Internship due to Coronavirus into a Career-Building Opportunity Article in Thrive Global By Meghan Pasricha, Co-Founder & CEO at Global Youth H.E.L.P. Inc.
What to Do Now That Your Summer Internship is Cancelled: Article from Forbes listing online summer options for students to think about.
Opportunities for Volunteerism from Home: List of virtual volunteer opportunities for students to consider.
iXperience: Innovative summer programs that teach in-demand skills blended with internship experience, online or abroad.
Internship Status for 2020: Crowd-sourced list of the hiring/internship status for hundreds of national and global companies.
Unemployment Fears: A COVID-19 Job Search Webinar for 20-Somethings: April 28th webinar providing tangible job-search strategies for young adults furloughed/recently notified of a job loss brought about by COVID 19.
Coronavirus is upending summer internships — how to make your mark if your internship is now virtual Article from Marketwatch on what to do when your summer internship is canceled. It will come down to creativity
50 Awesome Extracurricular Activities You Can Do At Home A blog post from College Vine for high school students.
Also, please check out our new website page of higher education resources during COVID 19.