After a whole academic year of nest-building and making a name for yourself, June is finally here. Gone are the all-nighters and mindless deadline-chases as windows are flung open to welcome the summer breeze and vacation plans. For international students such as myself, it’s time to hop on a homebound plane—and boy, I can’t wait!
After unceremoniously returning what you have learned in the past year to your lecturers (be honest, we all do this), the first step is to pack. Of course, there is no point in bringing all your belongings home just to fly them back for the new academic year in September. There is a multitude of storage services to solve this problem, such as Student Storage Manchester, Manchester Storage, Lovespace, Storage Manchester, and Big Yellow Self Storage. These services often provide sweet bargains for students; if you won’t use the entire storage unit, consider splitting the cost with a friend!
Pro tip: While you’re packing, take note of what you might want to bring more of when you come back in September. This could be some hometown snacks, spices, or your brand of skincare that can’t be spotted in local drugstores.
If you aren’t in a hurry home, consider taking a few days before your departure to visit Mancunian sights. I don’t know about you, but juggling academics, societies, and a part-time job has left me little time to explore this otherwise bouncing city. With the sun hanging high in the sky, these days are prime for some local exploration as far as your feet can take you; from Northern Quarter to Didsbury, Manchester has much to offer.
Once you are ready to bid a temporary farewell to the city, it is time to chart out your summer plans. I, for one, am ecstatic at the prospects awaiting me back home; between catching up with loved ones, society shadow period, and an internship, there is much time to unwind after a hectic academic year and still be developing myself.
I believe there are two routes one can tread during this summer home, with the first one being the workaholic (shamelessly, such as myself). These are the ones who will fill up their planners with experiences to embellish their CVs, spanning the width of volunteer work to course-relevant internships. At the end of it all, their CV might just end up polished and shining brighter than the summer sun!
Then, there’s the homebody who just wants to knock on the doors of friends and family and have a good time. I would love nothing more than to spend every second I can spare in the company of people I only get to see over summer. Now that most of my close friends have spread their wings to universities overseas, any time we have is precious and limited. Perhaps somewhere in between is the ideal!
As for those of you who are staying in Manchester, if an internship is not written in your stars, consider taking up a part-time job, volunteering or (if funds allow) travelling outside of the UK! Take a look at Imogen’s recent blog, how to travel on a student budget for inspiration. Being out and about is the best way to stay active in all aspects, and what better time to do so than when the sun is out? Call on your friends and draft up those best-laid plans—you only have three months, so make it count!
Of course, now that you have the extra time on your hands, don’t forget to call home more often or schedule gossip sessions with friends you haven’t seen in a while.
Regardless of your plans, don’t forget to make time for yourself and do what best rewards you. The transition from online classes back to physical lectures is a less-discussed challenge we’ve all faced this year, and we deserve a pat on the back for braving the storm!
Safe travels and happy summer!
Photo by Philip Myrtorp on Unsplash