"Real life" depends on what you do. You could try and code a database but unless you put it to use, you really won't get the full experience. Unless of course you right perfect code. ;)

Try to automate something in your job. Try to make something easier to manage. For example, we have a sendmail server. The company makes use of mail lists and files. Rather then hand edit 300 files, I wrote a routine that would offer a menu and edit files as needed.