Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

CAMPUS CHAT

I know what you did this summer

Photo:R. Ashok

HOLIDAY HUES Spending vacations usefully

For collegians, summer vacation is more than just a break from routine life -- the never-ending lectures, endless assignments, vigilant professors, canteen bites et al. Though lounging around at home doing nothing, glued to the computer or television screen and lost in a labyrinth of video games still makes the list of the average college-goer, students are now looking at ways to make the most of the summer holidays.True, holidaying with friends and family tops the vacation itinerary, but it is astutely sandwiched between options like summer courses, internships and part-time jobs.

Be it music, languages or sports, for students like Anjanaa, hailing from a city-based arts and science college, camps and classes offer a chance to pursue a long-time passion. If you've been dying to play the violin or yearned to bring out the water colours, but never found the time, nothing beats summer, she says. Sandhya Suresh prefers to add value to her course by supplementing it with computer programming, photoshop and animation classes.

With colleges insisting on internships, most students find themselves gaining practical exposure while stocking up on something that would add weight to their resume. Ask Sundar, an engineering college student about his vacation plans, and pat comes, “Internships! And yes, I plan to eat and sleep a lot.” Abinaya, a final year engineering student follows suit, “I am attending the job training session provided by a software firm on campus. But after that, I am just going to be at home and chill. There's nothing like living a month on mom's cooking months of hostel food.”

There are the students perched at crossroads caught in a transition between campus and corporate corridors, gearing themselves up for joining the workforce and engaged with training programmes provided by respective corporates. For students looking at higher studies as an option, it is admission time- all over again. But for management students like Rellu, there is no respite as the work continues in form of projects.

Time is money for those into part time jobs like literature student Janapriya. Besides a sense of independence and responsibility, it pays for personal expenses.

Monica, a post graduate student says summer holidays are ideal for holidaying with family and planning trips with friends. Be it road trips, picnics or weekend getaways, this is the time. “The gang is paramount; the place doesn't matter that much. But summer jobs are important too. Because we're responsible ,” she says with a grin. “Well, after all, where does the trip money come from?”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail