It is important to take breaks in life. To go on holidays and vacations. It helps to disperse the mundane everydayness of the work and grind. A little time off will give you the opportunity to brush up on the studying you want to do, the books you want to read, the schedule you want to keep, so when you come back to the normal everyday, you are doing so with a rejuvenated outlook and a fresh set of eyes. This is one of the major plusses of going to school in the USA – you’ll have ample breaks between semesters to travel, reconnect with friends and family, or do whatever it is your heart desires.
If it’s not leisure time you are looking for, there are schools that will help put you to work in those times off. Northeastern University in Boston and Drexel University in Philadelphia are two schools that offer a co-op program. The co-op program is more or less a system of employment to get you working experience at a real job before you even graduate. Each of the schools differs slightly in how they organize their semesters and what kind of employers they will connect you to, but rest assured, instead of getting long breaks for the summer and winter, you’ll have a regular job to fill up that time. The co-op programs are a great way to get a jump start on your career. When most students are chomping at the bit for work, with co-op, you’ll already have a solid resume by the time you graduate.
Also, the co-op programs more accurately prepare students for the real world of the USA. Once you graduate from school and enter the work force, you no longer get summers off, you get two weeks for vacation, if you’re lucky, and sometimes you’ll have to work two jobs just to stay afloat. If you are looking for a more leisurely way of life, go to school in the USA, but afterwards, move to Europe or South America. The USA is work driven, especially in the northeastern sector of the country. It is a great place to study, that is for sure, it will challenge you and keep you on your toes, but opportunities for employment can be scarce depending on the particular job market.
