How to Spend the Summer As a High Schooler

For a moment, imagine you’re back in middle school. It’s the end of June and everyone is excited, talking about what they’re going to do that summer. Some people are going to camp, some are going on vacation, and others are planning to stay at home for the most relaxing time of their lives. Everyone’s just excited to unwind and have two whole months without school or homework to worry about. 

Fast forward to now. You’re in high school and summer is approaching once again. But this time, the majority of summer plans look more like internships, jobs, and college tours. Since the first hint of warmth filled the air, even before people ditched their heavy down jackets for hoodies and sweaters, students have been feeling the pressure to use their summer wisely. Something that looks good for college, gets you closer to your future career, or gives you real world experience. And while you’re doing that, you should be studying for the SAT, researching colleges, and preparing your applications. 

As a high school student, there’s a lot of pressure to spend your summer “wisely.” Of course, this is mainly true for upperclassmen, but there are still expectations for your post-freshman year summer that were completely nonexistent in middle school, and whatever grade you're in, it can be really overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. 

While it is really beneficial to spend your summer prepping for college and your future, you should still be having fun. While this may seem like a lot to fit into two months, it can actually be quite manageable. The best way to go about it is simply to do something that is meaningful to you. Colleges can tell when you just have a laundry list of things you think would look impressive. It’s far more beneficial and impactful to commit to something you actually enjoy. So don’t throw your summer away because of college; instead, commit to something out of your comfort zone that you enjoy and your time won’t be wasted at all. 

Along the way, there are things that you can do to fill your time that are good for your future and your college process. For one, the summer is the perfect time to work on your Common Application, research colleges, or prepare for the SAT, depending on what grade you’re in. You’re far less busy and on-schedule than you are during the rest of the year, so even if you just put in an hour a day, that’s over sixty hours by the end of the summer. A lot of students also opt to get a summer job. Not only do you gain work experience and financial skills by doing this, but for many, it’s an opportunity to explore potential careers. And if you’re staying at home, you’ll have a lot of extra time on your hands, so while these are all great options, I also recommend meeting up with your friends a lot and exploring new places around the city so that you don’t get too restless and are ready to fall back into a comfortable routine come September. 

Last but not least, it’s called summer break for a reason. Relax. Take some time for yourself. After you graduate college, you won’t have a summer break anymore, so live it to the fullest and appreciate the time while you still have it.