by Darci Miller

It’s that time again, folks: Summer is ending and we’re all lugging all our stuff back to our dorm rooms for another year of school. After reuniting with your friends, everyone asks how your summer was and how that internship went. Wait...what internship? While others swap stories about impossible assignments, "constructive criticism" and weird bosses, you sit there awkwardly and silently swear to yourself that you’re going to put your nose to the grindstone this semester. No opportunity will be passed up and your resume will look absolutely glorious.

Hang on. Between classes, clubs, a job, potential internships and – oh yeah! – a social life and maybe some sleep, you’re left with less than five hours in the day. Oops...but don’t fret: It's possible if you know how to work the system. And, luckily for you, some of us already do.

Internships are a must to add to your resume before you leave college but if you’re attending school/living in a small city with few opportunities, don’t have a car and have to rely on unreliable public transit, etc., this can be a super difficult task. Solution? Go virtual! Virtual (or remote) internships are THE best way to get experience in a time-efficient way. You can work from anywhere there’s a computer with Internet access and you often get to make your own schedule. Take it from someone who’s had four remote positions already – you’re going to want to look into virtual internships as an option.

While internships are great, you’re obviously going to want a job to pad your bank account a bit, right? Nothing fancy is necessary so your first stops should absolutely be on campus. Places like the library, gym and all academic departments all need students to work for them and they’re in walking distance from your dorm and/or classes. Less travel time means more time spent doing something productive, so take advantage. Another HUGE plus? On-campus jobs are often really good about letting you do homework while on shift. Multitasking at its finest and yet another way to free up more of your day!

The key here is to be as efficient as possible with your time. Use it as productively as you can, overlap tasks and travel, and you’re good to go. Now stop procrastinating and get to work!

Darci Miller is a New Yorker studying journalism and sport administration at the University of Miami. When she’s not writing for the school newspaper, you can find her at the gym, either working or working out. She loves all ‘80s pop culture (the cheesier, the better!) and glues herself to her TV when the Olympics are on. She dreams big and believes the sky’s the limit.