With the spring semester coming to an end, while students deserve a nice break, the nearly three months of summer quickly lose their luster. After a month or so, many students start scratching their heads, wondering what to do with all that extra free time for the next two months. An excellent investment of your time would be to take a few summer courses over the summer. Read below why our Nerdify reviews experts recommend taking summer courses as a great way to get ahead of your studies.

1. They Only Last One Month!
Summer courses are condensed courses that only cover the month of, you guessed it, May. Since the summer sources typically count the same number of credits as a class in a typical semester, you’ll need to complete the same amount of class time in that short period. As an example, suppose a regular semester at your school is 15 weeks, and you take 3-credit classes, spending three hours a week in class. In that case, you’ll have to divide up those 45 hours of class time into four weeks, totaling about 11 hours a week. For that reason, our Nerdify reviews experts recommend you don’t cram too many summer classes at once. Many college-aged Reddit users on their campus subreddits say they take two courses if they want to study full-time, or just one of the Redditors is working during the summer. While it is a lot of work, say Reddit students, those four weeks of class fly by, and when you’re done, you’ll have a few credits under your belt, giving you a leg up for your next semester. Summer classes can get you ahead not only in credits but also in GPA.

2. You Can Take GPA-Boosting Classes

Often during summer, professors offer a mix of challenging and more manageable classes, so if you took a difficult class last semester that brought your GPA down, taking a more accessible class over the summer can help balance out your GPA. Since your GPA is an average of the number of credits you take regardless of their difficulty, the more easy-A courses you’d be able to take, the better. Our Nerdify reviews experts note that you shouldn’t be deceived into thinking that taking a class like drawing is effortless. Those not artistically inclined might be surprised how difficult those classes are work- and grading-wise. For those that have been wanting to take creative electives and don’t usually have time, a summer course is a great option to do so! In addition to taking classes you wouldn’t during the fall or spring, you might also be able to study in locations you might not otherwise travel to.

3. There Are Study Abroad Summer Options

Studying in another country during May is a terrific option for so many reasons. Though there are options to study abroad during the fall and spring semesters, it can be daunting to leave your home country for three or four months at a time. It could be difficult logistically—needing to find a sub-leaser for your apartment, find out what to do with any pets, etc.—but you’ll also miss out on a semester with loved ones and friends. If you studied abroad during summer, you’d only be gone for about a month, which is much easier to organize, and you’re unlikely to get homesick or tired of your host country. You’ll basically be able to take a month-long vacation while also getting some credits out of the way.

4. Get Rid of General Education Classes

Especially if you go to a liberal arts college, you’ll likely have a bunch of courses not related to your major that you’ll need to take. While those classes are enriching and worthwhile for many, they can make scheduling for the fall and spring semesters difficult. Our Nerdify reviews experts note that you can take care of that pesky history, math, or English classes in May that would otherwise weigh down your semester schedules. Even if you don’t currently have a major, the sooner you get rid of your gen ed classes, the sooner you’ll be able to find a field of study you’re passionate about, ensuring you’ll finish your degree on time. Or, maybe even earlier.

5. You Might Be Able To Graduate Early

Suppose you take even two summer classes at three credits each for three summers. In that case, that’s 18 credits right there, three hours over the typical college semester of 15. That means you’d be able to graduate college at least a semester early! This can be great for several reasons. Other than obviously saving four months of your time, you’ll also be likely saving money, depending on how your school calculates tuition costs. If you plan on continuing your education after graduation, you’ll be able to focus on admissions due in January without juggling the start of a new semester, and take even more time perfecting rolling admission applications. Or, you could use those extra months to focus studying on higher education tests, such as the GRE or LSAT. If you’re going to start working right after graduation, by entering the workforce in December, you’ll be competing against fewer applicants for each job, increasing the likelihood that employers pick your resume. Taking summer classes gives you an advantage with your GPA score, study abroad options, and completing credits early, all in about four weeks.

When students start college, they are often surrounded by their buddies whenever not in class, leading to a very close bond. As such, it can be challenging to say goodbye to one another once the spring semester ends, knowing they might not see one another for the next three months. To help those that miss their friends, our Nerdify experts have listed tips for staying in touch with one another during summer break.

1. Take a Road Trip

With summer being three months, there is ample time for big adventures. If you have chums who live relatively close to you, you can take a road trip to each other’s hometowns, say our Nerdify reviews experts. This is lovely because you can each see where you grew up, and meet one another’s families. Or, if you live farther away from each other, you can take a road trip and meet each other halfway across the distance. That way, you won’t have to travel as far to see one another, and you can explore a new town together. For a longer excursion, many Reddit users say they take cross-country road trips with their pals, picking them up and dropping them off as they loop around the US.

2. Have Group Brunch Over Video Chats

Whether you use Facetime, Zoom, or maybe even Skype, a great way to feel connected with your group of college friends is to have a video call with all of them simultaneously. You can video chat together while you cook your respective meals, and catch up with one another over brunch. For those that miss their trivia games at restaurants, you can even play party games. People on Reddit highly recommend Jackbox games—specifically “Quiplash” and “Drawful”—which only require one computer and your phones as controllers.

3. Get a walkie-talkie app

A bit chaotic but fun, with walkie-talkie apps like Zello, everyone online will automatically hear soundbite voice messages from senders in real-time, mimicking the radio device. You can feel like you’re a spy on a top-secret mission even while grocery shopping, sharing amusing thoughts that pop into your head walking through the dairy aisle. Reddit users say you won’t hear the messages if you don’t have the app open, so you wouldn’t need to worry about intrusive audio messages throughout the day. Messages are also recorded so you can catch up when you’re free.

4. Have Virtual Watch Parties

Our Nerdify reviews team knows nothing brings chums together like gushing about the latest television show or movie. Many streaming apps—like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and even Facebook—allow for synched viewing across devices, so you can watch a movie or show with your friends across the country. Although you can’t share popcorn with one another virtually, you can still have a good time laughing at comedies or cowering in fear at horror movies together.

5. Send a Care Package with Gifts from Your Hometown

Have you been telling your college companions about a snack from back home that you can’t get on your college campus? Or, do you live in a touristy spot with some kitschy tourist shops? Nerdify reviews team recommends sending friends gift boxes that represent a slice of your home. Even if they can’t visit you, your mates can learn what makes your home special through a care package.

6. Start Arts and Crafts Hobbies Together

With so much time to pass during the summer, taking up a new hobby can be a great way to spend your day. You can learn a new skill together by working on an artsy piece by yourself or video chatting with a buddy while they also work. It’s nice to have someone else to craft with through the fumbles that come with starting any new hobby, giving each other helpful tips, say our Nerdify reviews experts. If you want to collaborate on a project, you can send each other half-finished projects for the other to complete, resulting in a fantastic physical representation of your friendship.

7. Make a Meme Group Chat

While college often involves having adventures around campus late into the night, sometimes you just sit around with mates sharing funny videos. To help fill the content void, you can make a group chat with your buddies just for sending TikToks or memes. In sending things that remind you of one another, it’s a sweet way to say that you’re thinking about them.

8. Go Back to Campus for a Trip

If you and your friends don’t live too far from campus, it might be delightful to take a trip together to see what your school is like during the summer. While your normally-bustling college town is probably much quieter, it might be a nice change of pace to explore without dealing with the chaos other students bring. This would be your chance to do the things you don’t have time to do during the semester, like sightseeing or going to touristy attractions.

No matter what topic we may encounter as we compose Nerdify reviews, it always deals with portable electronic devices and the different applications that a person can download to check on the latest news or to quickly calculate something. These handy mobile apps became a part of our daily routine, which is not surprising if one considers an amount of available information and the tasks that have to be done on time. In order to make your lives easier, we have compiled a list of 7 apps that you should definitely check out in 2020:

Wunderlist

If you want to bring some order to your daily tasks and the college assignments, nothing beats this handy organizer. It allows you to manage your responsibilities in a convenient way. Regardless of what may be in your plans, it helps with anything from the usual shopping preferences, prices, course deadlines list, subtasks, notes, notifications, and synchronization across every device in your list. The app has a pleasing interface, so it is easy to learn how it works even if you find it challenging to install something new.

Audio Memos

You might have heard about the Notes application that allows you to record the lectures or even the sports events in audio format. This time Nerdify reviews came across an amazingly professional audio recorder application. Meeting the highest standards, it has lots of powerful options that most journalists use in their work. You can easily capture personal interviews, university lectures, local community meetings or simply record yourself when you need to make your class presentation perfect. While this app is aimed at advanced users, it is rather simple and the interface is much better than it is the case with some less powerful apps. The best part about Audio Memos is that it provides special color codes for each recording, so you can get it sorted by every date or subject.

Headspace

If you need to relax and get rid of anxiety, this app offers several meditation courses that you can join. Even if you have tried to get some peace and it did not work before, give it a try. A reason why it works is that you have clear and short instructions, so one can feel the benefits anywhere without too much trouble. For example, there is a course that helps you to sleep better or the one that boosts your productivity. While taking not more than ten minutes during the break or when you feel comfortable, it helps to have a brighter outlook and takes away the stress.

Alarmy

While this entry may sound funny and unnecessary, Nerdify reviews geeks found out that 2 out of 3 students snooze late without an alarm clock that either fails or is not set right. This little application is incredibly loud and has several ringtones that will pick you up in the morning because you won’t be able to sleep without shutting this awful thing off! The best part about Alarmy is that you can choose among several alarms, so it can remind you about an important test (or a great movie) during the daytime as well. At the same time, there is an option where you have to shake the phone well for the alarm to stop because some of us may glide the finger to stop it and continue with the sweet dreams land. Trust us, Alarmy will wake you up!

Trivia Crack

If we would only tell about planning and exam alert apps at Nerdify reviews, things would quickly get boring. What about some fun? Welcome the Trivia Crack mobile game! It is an application that lets you compete with people from all over the world. You can train your brain, communicate with your roommates and show your special skills. The game can be stopped at any time, so it fits just right for the college students during the break when your time is short.

Dragon Dictation

A great free application that lets you translate speech to text. As a speech recognition solution, it supports all existing mobile platforms and does not take much memory. If your lecture recording is unclear or you need to understand the text from an online video, it will help you out. If English is not your first language and you need assistance, download this free app and learn!

Brainscape

It is the mobile education environment where the flashcards on diverse subjects help you memorize things, save time, and learn. You can create your own cards from the textbooks or download different subjects and tests created by other people from the vast online library. Nerdify reviews have often used this wonderful application to find inspiration and discover unusual presentations that help save time and learn from the subject’s key facts.