Worried that you're not spending your summer productively? Here are some ways you can change that!
By Mona Matsuda Edited by: Mishti Dhawan July 24, 2019 Resources/Tips
Summer is a great time to kick back and relax to refuel for the next school year, but it’s also an amazing time to explore different opportunities and experiences that prepare you for the future!
Here are 5 productive ways to spend your summer:
Explore your interests!
Throughout high school, most students are in the process of figuring out their interests so that they can take classes and participate in extracurricular activities that align with their interests. This is important because colleges love to see students pursue their interests in high school. However, a prerequisite to pursuing interests in high school is identifying them. Use the time you have during the summer to identify your interests. Here are a few websites that will help you identify your interests while also providing a list of potential careers that might be for you:
CareerExplorer: This website has a survey that breaks down things that you like and dislike to provide a career that may interest you, along with a brief summary of the careers recommended.
CollegeBoard Big Future: College Board also has a feature that allows you to explore career paths. It includes aspects of the different careers and colleges that you may consider going into. This will not only help in deciding your career path, but also the specific majors that you may want to apply to.
CareerOneStop: This website is also a survey page that will use the information you provide through the survey questions to recommend some careers that may interest you.
I recommend you use one or more surveys to explore your possible career path because many provide different questions that look at different aspects of you. By identifying your interests, you will feel more prepared for the school year because you will know exactly what you want to pursue and explore.
Volunteering!
Many schools require volunteering or community service hours for graduation. Although it may sound like busy work, volunteering is very rewarding because it involves doing something fun for social good. Furthermore, colleges love to see students volunteering at organizations that provide the student with valuable experience especially if it's in the field they want to pursue. On Volunteer Match, you can find opportunities within your community. For example, if you are interested in the medical field, volunteering at a local hospital can give you real world experience of the environment that you may want to work in for the future. Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while also gaining valuable experience.
Internships!
Summer internships are a great way to gain valuable skills that are applicable beyond high school. Internships allow you to experience the hands-on work environment, interacting with adults who are professionals in a certain field. Simply searching up “internships near me” on Google can give you opportunities around you, with information about the requirements and the work experience. Although most internships require students to be at least 16 years of age, there are exceptions to this requirement.
Preparing for the next school year!
Every day you spend is a day closer to the start of a fresh new school year. So why not prepare for it? Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization linked with College Board, provides video tutorials for a variety of courses from K-12 Math to AP Courses. Previewing the courses through this site can give you a sense of what information the class will provide, and you will be able to get a head start. You can even brush up on your language skills by exploring apps like Duolingo or watching YouTube tutorials. For any courses you may be taking in the coming school year, there are tons of resources and tutorials available on YouTube, Khan Academy, and local libraries that can give you a head start for the school year. Beyond just preparing for school courses, you can even prepare for the ACT/SAT so that you can get the score you want.
Summer Camps!
There are lots of Summer Camps in every area, no matter where you live. Some summer camps offer credit for courses throughout the school year (for ex. taking a Health course over the summer can allow you to skip taking Health in high school), while others allow you to explore your interests-- whether it’s in programming, science, math, or humanities! While some summer camps can be expensive, many offer scholarships and discounts. You can find summer camps by searching for them on your web browser. For example, high school students might take the SAT/ACT Summer Camps during the summer to prepare for the test.
Keep in mind that while you can use your summer to prepare for the school year and try new experiences and opportunities, you should also take out time to relax and replenish for the next year. Spend time with your family and friends, go for a run, make a bucket list, do creative individual projects, read books, and enjoy the summer while it lasts!
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Sources:
Sarikas, Christine. “What Should High School Students Do Over the Summer?” What Should High School Students Do Over the Summer?, blog.prepscholar.com/summer-activities-for-high-school-students.
Volunteering Solutions. “2018 Summer Volunteer Programs Abroad.” Volunteering Solutions, www.volunteeringsolutions.com/summer-volunteer-abroad-programs.
“Volunteering: 16 Ways to Get Involved.” Georgia Family, www.georgiafamily.com/volunteering-16-ways-
to-get-involved/.
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