So exams are over, and a long summer stretches ahead. It might be tempting to sit back and relax until September, and you certainly should use some of the long vacation for recharging and resting. However, we have some suggestions for how to make the most of your free time over the summer, things to help your CV, general wellbeing and your bank balance. So here goes…

Get a summer job: This will help your budget and will also help when you are looking for graduate jobs, as you will have work experience to put on your CV. You can find out about getting summer employment in our earlier blog post here.  You can contact our Careers and Employability team for advice and the Student Rooms website also has plenty of helpful tips to get you started:

Register to volunteer at a festival –  Summer can’t be all work and no play. You’ll be after a break over the holiday, and if music festivals are your thing, this is a great way to save money. Lots of volunteer positions at festivals offer free entry, better camping, and in some cases even meal vouchers in exchange for a few 6 or 8 hour shifts. Even though some festivals have already happened, there are still some stewarding opportunities available.

Volunteer in Sheffield and surround through the Hallam Students’ Union. A quick look at their website showed nearly 120 opportunities including a creative arts assistant with Handmade Cinema, a computer rebuilding workshop assistant with Silencebreaker Media, and urban gardening in Broomhall. If you’re not in Sheffield over the summer, you can find out about volunteering opportunities on the GOV.UK website. Volunteering in your local community will give you really valuable work experience and be great for your CV.

You can also look out for cultural and sporting events taking place around Sheffield at the Welcome to Sheffield website. If you’re quick you could catch Love’s Labour’s Lost in the Botanical Gardens this week, or you could take in the free Taylor Wessing photographic exhibition at the Millenium Galleries until 16 August. And you can also join the SHU GoGlobal Facebook group for local events and activities, or can view them on the International Students’ News blog at:

But whatever you’re up to this vacation, do make sure you get some much needed relaxation in, so you’re rested for coming back to your studies in September. And remember, if you need any advice or support over the summer period, you can contact the Advice and Information team or the Student Wellbeing team. We’re here for any help or advice you may need over the holiday period.