Summer is often seen as a season of endless possibilities, offering a chance for graduate students to make progress on their research, catch up on tasks, and enjoy a break. At the same time, it can also be a time of uncertainty and anxiety, especially when it comes to the pressure to be productive without the usual structure of the academic year. Balancing the opportunities and challenges of summer can be a delicate task, but with some careful planning and thoughtful strategies, you can make the most of your break. Here are eight steps to help you have an effective and fulfilling summer, with some examples, tools, and resources for each: Step 1: Evaluate your priorities and values Instead of diving head-first into the summer months, spend some time deciding what’s important to you and why. First, reflect on what went well and what didn’t over the past semester. What accomplishments are you proud of? Where did you face setbacks? Use these reflections to refine your goals for the year ahead. Has the way you’ve been spending time been in alignment with your values and priorities? If not, what can you change to bring them into closer alignment? This may involve setting boundaries around your work schedule, communicating your needs and limitations to your colleagues or advisor, or finding ways to incorporate your personal interests into your summer goals. Use journaling or mind mapping as you reflect on your priorities, or conduct a values assessment through career exploration tools like ImaginePhD (for Humanities and Social Sciences students) or MyIDP (for STEM students). Step 2: Make a realistic plan Use the information from your priority and value assessment to set realistic goals. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, and achievable. This means that you should be as clear as possible about what exactly you plan to achieve and realistic about when you’ll be able to achieve it. Be sure to adjust your goals as needed and to be attentive to factors outside of your control. For guided support, consider attending GradPro’s Planning Your Summer Workshop, taking place Tuesday, May 20. You can also create or update your Individual Development Plan (IDP), a great tool for setting and prioritizing goals around your research, skills, career path, and personal growth. For more guidance, check out GradPro’s IDP Resources. Once you have a plan for the semester, decide on a calendaring or scheduling system like Google Calendar, Calendly, or TimeTree to map your goals on to specific daily or weekly tasks or goals. Step 3: Communicate with your advisor Check in with your advisor before the summer starts about expectations for your work and communication during the summer months. Find out whether you should provide regular updates on your progress and agree upon your mode of communication, keeping both of your preferences in mind. For example, will you communicate through email, phone, or face-to-face regular meetings? Step 4: Find a supportive community With classes and working groups largely on hiatus, summer can feel like a particularly isolating time, so you have to be proactive about finding community. Try joining a student group or organization related to your field of study, or attending conferences and workshops. You can also register to participate in a GradPro Check-in Group to stay on track and find accountability partners. Registration will open on May 19. If you are working on a writing project, consider joining the Graduate Writing Community, a virtual community for UC Berkeley graduate students to come together and make progress in their writing. Learn more tips and resources for a successful summer of dissertation writing. Step 5: Learn something new or engage in a skill-building project Consider using summer break to set a goal of learning something new or deepening your expertise in an area related to your academic or career goals. edX has free courses from universities like MIT and Harvard on business, programming, and language learning. You can also check out webinars from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, like “Every Semester Needs a Plan,” “Mastering Academic Time Management,” and “The Art of Saying No.” Activate your free membership. Summer is also a good time to do some self-directed reading on topics related to professional development. Check out this essential summer reading for graduate students as a starting point. Applying what you’ve learned is one of the best ways to solidify new skills. This could mean analyzing a new dataset, launching a blog about your research, or volunteering to apply your expertise to a community project. Personal projects not only enhance your skills but also give you something tangible to showcase to potential employers or collaborators. Check out Parker Dewey Micro-Internships for paid, short-term, project-based work experiences. Or, to build skills and get a taste of day-to-day life in a specific industry, explore InterSECT Job Simulations and Forage. Step 6: Refresh your resume, CV, and online profiles An up-to-date resume, CV, and LinkedIn profile are crucial for job searches and networking. Use the break to make sure these documents accurately reflect your achievements and experiences. Highlight recent projects, research, and any new skills you’ve acquired. Tailor your resume to different types of roles you might be interested in, focusing on your accomplishments and the impact of your work. Berkeley Career Engagement provides expert feedback on resumes and cover letters via Handshake, while GradPro has compiled a list of relevant resources. Step 7: Do some networking Networking can often feel daunting, but it can be a valuable way to learn about different career paths and gain insights from other’s experiences. Use the summer break to reach out to some people whose experience and expertise you value. Identify a few Berkeley alumni or other people in your network you would like to connect with or learn from. Reach out to them via email or LinkedIn and suggest a time to meet, whether virtually or face-to-face. Identify the specific topics you would like to discuss, such as advice on a particular industry or insights into job roles, before your meeting. After the meeting, be sure to send a follow-up thank you letter. The UC Berkeley Alumni Page on LinkedIn and the Berkeley Career Network are great starting points for finding alumni. For more guidance, see GradPro’s resources for networking and informational interviews. Step 8: Prioritize your well-being Amid all the professional development activities, don’t forget to prioritize your well-being. Taking time to rest and recharge is essential for productivity and overall happiness. Use the break to engage in activities that bring you joy, whether it’s spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, or simply catching up on sleep. Schedule “well-being days” where you intentionally disconnect from work. It’s essential for recharging and maintaining balance. Check out Be Well at Cal for wellness resources and tips to help you maintain a healthy balance throughout the semester. Closing Thoughts Achieving work-life balance as a graduate student can be challenging, but implementing these strategies can help you make the most out of your summer while taking care of your well-being. To discuss your summer plan with a Professional Development Liaison and stay accountable to your goals, sign up for a GradPro consultation. — This article is adapted from an article written by Sophie Major and Alicia Roy in 2021. Yana Zlochistaya is a sixth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Comparative Literature and a Professional Development Liaison with the Graduate Division. She is also a former co-director of Beyond Academia.
Summer is often seen as a season of endless possibilities, offering a chance for graduate students to make progress on their research, catch up on tasks, and enjoy a break. At the same time, it can also be a time of uncertainty and anxiety, especially when it comes to the pressure to be productive without the usual structure of the academic year. Balancing the opportunities and challenges of summer can be a delicate task, but with some careful planning and thoughtful strategies, you can make the most of your break. Here are eight steps to help you have an effective and fulfilling summer, with some examples, tools, and resources for each: Step 1: Evaluate your priorities and values Instead of diving head-first into the summer months, spend some time deciding what’s important to you and why. First, reflect on what went well and what didn’t over the past semester. What accomplishments are you proud of? Where did you face setbacks? Use these reflections to refine your goals for the year ahead. Has the way you’ve been spending time been in alignment with your values and priorities? If not, what can you change to bring them into closer alignment? This may involve setting boundaries around your work schedule, communicating your needs and limitations to your colleagues or advisor, or finding ways to incorporate your personal interests into your summer goals. Use journaling or mind mapping as you reflect on your priorities, or conduct a values assessment through career exploration tools like ImaginePhD (for Humanities and Social Sciences students) or MyIDP (for STEM students). Step 2: Make a realistic plan Use the information from your priority and value assessment to set realistic goals. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, and achievable. This means that you should be as clear as possible about what exactly you plan to achieve and realistic about when you’ll be able to achieve it. Be sure to adjust your goals as needed and to be attentive to factors outside of your control. For guided support, consider attending GradPro’s Planning Your Summer Workshop, taking place Tuesday, May 20. You can also create or update your Individual Development Plan (IDP), a great tool for setting and prioritizing goals around your research, skills, career path, and personal growth. For more guidance, check out GradPro’s IDP Resources. Once you have a plan for the semester, decide on a calendaring or scheduling system like Google Calendar, Calendly, or TimeTree to map your goals on to specific daily or weekly tasks or goals. Step 3: Communicate with your advisor Check in with your advisor before the summer starts about expectations for your work and communication during the summer months. Find out whether you should provide regular updates on your progress and agree upon your mode of communication, keeping both of your preferences in mind. For example, will you communicate through email, phone, or face-to-face regular meetings? Step 4: Find a supportive community With classes and working groups largely on hiatus, summer can feel like a particularly isolating time, so you have to be proactive about finding community. Try joining a student group or organization related to your field of study, or attending conferences and workshops. You can also register to participate in a GradPro Check-in Group to stay on track and find accountability partners. Registration will open on May 19. If you are working on a writing project, consider joining the Graduate Writing Community, a virtual community for UC Berkeley graduate students to come together and make progress in their writing. Learn more tips and resources for a successful summer of dissertation writing. Step 5: Learn something new or engage in a skill-building project Consider using summer break to set a goal of learning something new or deepening your expertise in an area related to your academic or career goals. edX has free courses from universities like MIT and Harvard on business, programming, and language learning. You can also check out webinars from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, like “Every Semester Needs a Plan,” “Mastering Academic Time Management,” and “The Art of Saying No.” Activate your free membership. Summer is also a good time to do some self-directed reading on topics related to professional development. Check out this essential summer reading for graduate students as a starting point. Applying what you’ve learned is one of the best ways to solidify new skills. This could mean analyzing a new dataset, launching a blog about your research, or volunteering to apply your expertise to a community project. Personal projects not only enhance your skills but also give you something tangible to showcase to potential employers or collaborators. Check out Parker Dewey Micro-Internships for paid, short-term, project-based work experiences. Or, to build skills and get a taste of day-to-day life in a specific industry, explore InterSECT Job Simulations and Forage. Step 6: Refresh your resume, CV, and online profiles An up-to-date resume, CV, and LinkedIn profile are crucial for job searches and networking. Use the break to make sure these documents accurately reflect your achievements and experiences. Highlight recent projects, research, and any new skills you’ve acquired. Tailor your resume to different types of roles you might be interested in, focusing on your accomplishments and the impact of your work. Berkeley Career Engagement provides expert feedback on resumes and cover letters via Handshake, while GradPro has compiled a list of relevant resources. Step 7: Do some networking Networking can often feel daunting, but it can be a valuable way to learn about different career paths and gain insights from other’s experiences. Use the summer break to reach out to some people whose experience and expertise you value. Identify a few Berkeley alumni or other people in your network you would like to connect with or learn from. Reach out to them via email or LinkedIn and suggest a time to meet, whether virtually or face-to-face. Identify the specific topics you would like to discuss, such as advice on a particular industry or insights into job roles, before your meeting. After the meeting, be sure to send a follow-up thank you letter. The UC Berkeley Alumni Page on LinkedIn and the Berkeley Career Network are great starting points for finding alumni. For more guidance, see GradPro’s resources for networking and informational interviews. Step 8: Prioritize your well-being Amid all the professional development activities, don’t forget to prioritize your well-being. Taking time to rest and recharge is essential for productivity and overall happiness. Use the break to engage in activities that bring you joy, whether it’s spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, or simply catching up on sleep. Schedule “well-being days” where you intentionally disconnect from work. It’s essential for recharging and maintaining balance. Check out Be Well at Cal for wellness resources and tips to help you maintain a healthy balance throughout the semester. Closing Thoughts Achieving work-life balance as a graduate student can be challenging, but implementing these strategies can help you make the most out of your summer while taking care of your well-being. To discuss your summer plan with a Professional Development Liaison and stay accountable to your goals, sign up for a GradPro consultation. — This article is adapted from an article written by Sophie Major and Alicia Roy in 2021. Yana Zlochistaya is a sixth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Comparative Literature and a Professional Development Liaison with the Graduate Division. She is also a former co-director of Beyond Academia.