A Summer of content

Usha Albuquerque

When exams come, can summer holidays be far away?  For most people summer holidays means a trip to some exotic place, Thailand, Switzerland, Goa, Ooty as we try to get away from the summer heat, and relax after the rigors of studies, tuitions, and exams of the preceding couple of weeks.  However, summer holidays can be just as relaxing and as much fun learning something new and different.  Whether it be guitar lessons, Zumba dancing or some computer class, summer holidays can be more fruitfully spent developing a new skill, or indulging in perfecting a dormant one that you have not been able to give attention to, while busy with studies. Whatever may be the activity, or the reason, such courses not only keep you busy and challenged during the two month break but also can be an investment for the future.  

The long term benefits of such activities are immense students who are unable to decide about their career and study route can pursue some short term course to figure out if this should be their chosen direction.  Moreover, a few weeks spent in a theatre workshop can help you develop your communication and public speaking skills, while learning Spanish or Mandarin will give you an edge in the hospitality industry or with global corporates. You can also find cookery classes for those who love to cook, gardening experiences for those with green fingers and a range of other interesting activities such as pottery, sculpture, carpentry, computer animation and so on. In fact, if you are not already savvy with the computer, summer is an excellent time to catch up with short computer courses in Adobe Photo Shop, Java and other language programmes that can be of use whatever subject or job you take up.

So instead of sunning on a beach, or chilling out with family and friends over summer, you can get much more value from learning a skill, or catching up on academic classes that can enhance your learning experience.  There are today any number of summer workshops that cater to teaching and developing all kinds of skills - whether it be language skills, learning to speak better, creative skills, drawing and painting even through the computer, or practical science skills.  There are workshops and summer training programmes that can ensure you not only enjoy the hours devoted to this activity, but you end up smarter, more knowledgeable and with skills that can help you in a more promising future. 

Here are courses that can be enjoyable and constructive:

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Academic Summer Courses

Summer vacations can also be well spent in extra study programmes, making up for classes missed, or in enhanced learning programmes. While European and American universities regularly conduct summer training programmes in a variety of subjects, universities in India are also catching up on this phenomenon. 

 These summer classes can include courses directly related to your major in university, or an interesting window into different disciplines. Summer classes give you an extra chance to complete classes and stay on track or get ahead in your degree programme. 

The Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi has excellent programmes which expose students to the celestial world, while the Science Museum at the Pragati Maidan in Delhi has workshops from time to time on a number of science based themes. The Centre for Science education and Communication at the University of Delhi, also organises Summer workshops in the field of chemistry and on "Atoms and Molecules" and several other science subjects to promote a wider interest in science and scientific issues.

Symbiosis University Pune has started a Summer School Programme designed to provide students,  or working professionals, an intellectually stimulating environment with like-minded people to explore and learn. Course options include - Creative writing, photography, climate change, legal aspects of Business, film making, International relations, culinary arts, and advanced computing technology. 

Kings College London also conducts an Indian Summer School program offering a range of Summer School courses in India, taught by King College staff and hosted at a number of prestigious colleges in different cities. These include Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College, Bombay's HR College and several others. The courses include Marketing management, Media and culture, Diet and Health and several other topics. For more information check out - 

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/summer.

UWC Mahindra College outside Pune also offers a range of short programmes offers intellectually and emotionally stimulating experiences with several programmes ranging from 1 week to 3 weeks for high school students. Topics include youth, environment and sustainability, theatre, gender and equality and other programmes over the summer months. Check the Outreach Programmes on the UWC website

www.uwcmahindracollege.org

There are Oxford Summer Courses in India too - residential and non-residential programmes conducted at several schools in India at Delhi, at Panvel near Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kodaikanal.  Classes are taught by Oxford academics in subjects ranging from Environmental Science, Business & Entrepreneurship to Theatre, Philosophy, Creative writing and Law.  You can also opt for these courses at Oxford and Cambridge Universities too. More details on the website

www.oxfordsummercourses.com 

If you look beyond borders there are a lot of summer school programmes across the world and almost all the top universities offer hundreds of summer courses and other learning experiences in a variety of fields of study, ranging from music and the arts to business and leadership. Whether it is Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard Universities, the London School of Economics or universities in US, Canada, Europe, South Africa, Korea, HongKong, Singapore, Japan or Australia, you can select the subject options and locations of your choice. When choosing a programme in a particular country or city of interest, it's always best to shop around and see which offers the most in regards to affordability, cultural trips, opportunities and curriculum. In most cases applications would require a transcript, essay, and/or recommendation letter(s). These workshops or summer school programmes are an excellent introduction to university life abroad, and prepare prospective students for living in a foreign environment. 

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Cooking & Baking

More and more youngsters are spending more and more time whipping up batter for a cake, tossing a salad or kneading dough for that perfect pizza. Why not convert a favourite hobby into a professionally learnt pastime, or even a possible future career option? Whether you want to learn to make pizzas, cup cakes or your favourite chocolate, there are heaps of different courses and classes which can not only keep you satiated mentally and physically, but also prepare you for a possible career in culinary arts. Reality shows like Master Chef have taken cooking out of the kitchen and into drawing rooms, making this a skill worth its weight in calories, whether you wish to pursue this as a career, earn extra pocket money or keep family and friends licking their lips.  

There are several short courses in food preparation and culinary arts which teach you the basics of food preparation as well as specialized international cuisines, bakery and confectionary, patisserie studies and others. 

Certificate courses in baking and confectionary are organised by institutes like the Institute of Hotel management, Pusa, New Delhi, International Institute of Culinary Arts, Delhi,  and others which are open to both students and working professionals.

There are also hobby classes run by cooking and catering experts in baking and specialized confectionary for students, working mothers and young professionals. 

Courses in cookery and baking can lead into careers related to hotel management, event management, catering, food styling,  and entrepreneurship.

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Adventure camps

Most students enjoy sporting and outdoor activities. Trekking, climbing, river rafting, living in tented camps, preparing your own meal, learning to fend for yourself are all activities that enable young students to build self esteem, develop inter personal skills, be more environmentally conscious and independent. Outdoor camps in the hills or forest areas expose city-bound students to the wilds of nature, trekking and climbing mountains, protecting the environment, learning about flora and fauna, as well a range of life skills such as building team-spirit, self-esteem, and leadership, taking responsibility, coping under hardships, understanding and empathy, etc that are essential for developing well-rounded personalities. 

There are several adventure camping organisations such as Youreka, INME, Anubhav, Rocksport Adventure, and others which provide a variety of adventure related programmes for young people. 

The World Wildlife Fund also organises camps and workshops from time to time which inculcate in students a love and respect for animals and the environment. 

There are several international summer camps in other countries in Europe, the US and Australia. Les Elfes International, a Swiss organisation and member of the European Council of International Schools, offers students camping experiences up in the Swiss Alps. Summer camps understanding space science and sitting in a rocket simulator are other activities you can experience.  A visit to NASA's Learning Technology Projects at the Glenn Research Center in the US can be an exciting and stimulating learning experience. 

Several schools organise summer exchange programmes for their students to visit schools in different parts of the world. Some universities have also taken the initiative to allow school students to visit the university and get a preview of what life can be  on campus.

So get with it - instead of hanging around with friends in your backyard, or watching reality shows on TV, start planning out a fun summer holiday where you can actually get that reality show experience and much more. There is so much to do!

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communications skills

One of the basic skills needed for success - and how often we neglect to develop it.  The ability to verbalise, write, listen, give presentations, facilitate discussions, and share knowledge effectively is possibly the most important skill required whatever we may do. There are specialised English language communications classes being offered that can help you understand and use the language better. The British Council organises a fun-filled two weeks Summer School for young learners between the ages of 7 and 17 years as also  summer intensive classes to train students in creative writing, presentation skills, BPO skills (telephone marketing and negotiating) and more every year.  Such courses can also help students polish their accent and improve their confidence while conversing with people across the globe. There are several other private classes and institutes that conduct English speaking classes, as well as other activities such as joining a theatre group, or debating team or public speaking workshops.

Good English communication skills are essential for most careers particularly those related to mass communication, such as journalism, public relations, corporate communications, publishing, as well as business management, hotel management and law.