It’s summertime and no school! But wait…now you have a full-time job.
The hardest part of transitioning from college to a summer job is the abruptness of sitting in classes and being on your own schedule to working at a full-time summer job from 9am-5pm. Lecture halls become conference rooms, and the dining halls turn into coffee lounges. I hardly see my friends during the day in the summer, whereas I was surrounded by students all around campus.
Summer internships slowly prepare you for the real world—it’s a small taste before you’re whisked back away into the college bubble. It will be draining to work at least an eight-hour workday for the first two weeks, but afterwards, I found that I got acclimated to the lifestyle. To hold myself accountable, I put myself on a schedule. If I didn’t, you’ll most likely find me napping during my 5-9.
Here is a sample breakdown of my realistic 5-9pm after a workday:
5:00-5:30pm: Get ready to pack up for the day and head home.
5:30-6:00pm: Take some time for myself to unpack from the day and catch up on meeting notes.
6:00-7:00pm: Dinner with friends! I usually try to grab dinner with a friend to catch up, and I love sharing my workday stories and hearing about theirs. This gives me the opportunity to socialize in a casual, relaxing environment.
7:00-9:00pm: This part fluctuates between exercise, such as pickleball, running in a nearby park, or hitting the gym, and catching up on work and preparing for the next day. If I have the energy, I will try to do both!
Afterwards, I log off and allocate time for myself. Sometimes, that’ll be reading a book or scrolling through social media or baking a new recipe.
This 5-9 schedule after a full 9-5 workday does not work for everyone, and my best advice is to make time for yourself and what matters most to you. I know it’s easier said than done, but I found that having social connections with others helped me with my overall well-being. Work itself can be stressful, draining, or exhausting, but there are also so many highlights, such as helping out a new client or putting a smile on someone’s face. That’s why the 5-9pm should be adjusted based on what works best for you.