What to do this summer

[DoK]

So it's my first summer as a grad (phd) student. I was wondering what people do or how they spend their summers. For more context, I'm a political science student. I just don't want do nothing all summer. Thanks

[AP]

You either do research or begin to prepare for comps, depending on your timeline. At least, that's in my program and most of the humanities and social sciences in my school. I know people apply for FLAS to do some language training and others do some summer programs on specific topics. I did a quantitative theory two-week course in my second summer. 

I was also protective of my time off as I weighed in my stipend. I have 11-month stipend so I felt that I didn't need to do school-stuff all three summer months (in the end you do, but I didn't feel the pressure). I have friends that have 12-month stipends and they stay to work in their labs (STEM) or they give summer courses (German, French, English, Portuguese, etc. departments). 

What do grad students in your department typically do?