How to enjoy summer AND make it count!
May 10th, 2022Summer is so close we can almost taste the freedom. Tests, studying, homework and extracurriculars will soon be in our rear-view mirror, making summer the perfect time for a little self-exploration. What are your interests? What motivates you? What are you passionate about? How can summer experiences help you explore some or all of this?
Summer programs are often a topic of discussion in our advising sessions; parents and students want to know what’s best to pursue and whether structured programs will affect admission. Programs can provide tremendous enrichment opportunities, to be sure. On the other hand, particularly where volunteer service is concerned, depth of engagement closer to home can also lead to significant growth and impact, and allow for continued participation during the academic year.
The article linked below from College Essay Guy is full of great insight. The author points out the significance of connecting your core values to your summer experiences in order to gain a better sense of meaning and engagement. So, as you consider how you’ll spend your time in the coming months, think about how much personal growth and development can arise from summer pursuits!
Article referenced below written by Andrew Simpson published on the College Essay Guy website
How to Spend Your High School Summer
During summers when I was in high school, I often felt torn—how much of the summer should I spend working to save more for college (be wary of loans and college debt)? How much working to save the world (how exactly I’d do this was always a little vague)? How much just spending time connecting with friends and family and living my life as fully as I could (if you’ve never been to Montana, a summer can easily fly by on the rivers and lakes and mountains)?
In this post, I’m going to assume that you’ve wrestled with some similar questions. And I’m going to walk you through some of what I would’ve loved to have understood back then, to help me decide how to spend my high school summers. (And I’m probably going to have a few more parentheticals.)
If you just want some options for stuff to do, you can skip down to here. But if you want to understand more about how you as a human being function, and how that understanding can lead you to living a happier life, read on.
