It’s that stressful time of year where you’re not only trying to finish your semester strong while also trying to finalize your summer plans. A brief moment of silence for leisurely summers spent doing absolutely nothing, #rip.
For those of you that already have your summer plans, congrats! And for those of you still looking, know you’re in good company and that it’ll all work out one way or another.
The following books have been selected to help you make the most of your summer internship or summer job, wherever that may be. The next few months are an amazing opportunity to grow yourself and discover your passions without the added stress of coursework, so read on to maximize your summer!
Related reading: Stylish Internship Outfits for Every Major
Table of Contents
Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World by Tim Ferriss
Mentorship can be one of the biggest things to gain from an internship. Finding out how to initiate that relationship or make the most of it once you have that relationship can be challenging.
Tim Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors features advice from successful people in various industries, answering some of the most pressing questions we’re forced to consider in our lives and in our careers. What’s great about Ferriss’s compilation is that no two mentors he consults are alike, whether in terms of age, field, or experience level. It can give you an idea of how to seek out mentors of your own, while you learn from these industry leaders.
If you’re curious to learn more before you buy the book, check out Ferriss’s podcast “The Tim Ferriss Show” to get a better idea of the people and topics he covers.
Hiding in the Bathroom: An Introvert’s Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You’d Rather Stay Home) by Morra Aarons-Mele
Just as the title implies, Hiding in the Bathroom is perfect for all you introverts or anyone who struggles to put themselves out there and seize opportunities.
Morra Aarons-Mele challenges the stereotype of the over-worked, multitasking Type-A success story by providing her tips on how to succeed when it all seems like too much. She paints a picture of a different type of ambition, one that is far more achievable than the caricature we all have of the path to success.
Also Read: 6 Summer Work Outfits Ideas for When It’s Too Hot to Think
Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace by Jessica Bennett
Pundits may already be dubbing 2018 the “Year of the Woman” but it’s still very much a man’s world in many fields.
Jessica Bennett’s wildly successful book, Feminist Fight Club, is a must-have for anyone planning to make waves in a male-dominated field. (By the way, fashion is one such field at the higher levels — just sayin’.) While work must be done to dismantle the existing hierarchies, part of succeeding in the existing world requires learning how to work the system. Bennett lays out exactly how she and her peers have learned the skills needed for success and how you can, too.
Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau
Side hustles are one of those random things that popped on the internet as a definitively “millennial” thing. But as silly as they sound, they’re not a bad idea particularly if you’re facing the prospect of an unpaid internship this summer. (See our guide to side hustles for college women for more on starting your own.)
Chris Guillebeau is the author of many books geared towards aspiring entrepreneurs, but his latest publication, Side Hustle is perfect for college students because of its topic of focus. Side Hustle is a game plan for those hoping to turn make a real living from their side gig in less than 30 days. The upcoming summer is the perfect opportunity to try out Guillebeau’s approach and head into the next school year with a viable business of your own.
Bonus! – Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
Because I know all too well how stressful this time of year can be, I’ve added in a bonus book that’s full of advice of the more therapeutic variety. From the author of Wild comes a collection of Cheryl Strayed’s best advice columns from “Dear Sugar.” Strayed’s advice has long been praised for her ability to make people’s problems her own and Tiny Beautiful Things is a shining example of that.
While summer is supposed to serve as a vacation, is has its own unique stressors that can plague college students. This collection of Strayed’s work is the perfect antidote for those stresses because what better way is there to forget your own problems than to read about someone else’s?
What do you think?
Have you read any of these intern books? Are you still on the hunt for your summer gig? Are you headed home or staying at school? What other tips do you have for fellow CF Readers headed out into the workforce this summer? Let us know in the comments below!