How to Get the Most Out of Your Summer
As Troy Bolton (played by Zac Efron), star of the legendary movie High School Musical 2, most wisely said, “What time is it? Summertime! It’s our vacation!”
Final exams are over and school’s out. You have movies to watch, memes to create, and friends to hang out with. Sure, summer is great for Fortnite binging and watching all 14 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, but you may find yourself realizing that the initial excitement of summer freedom has worn off a bit. Summer is an invaluable period of time where you can either be productive or be a victim of the summer slump. But, don’t you worry! Here are 6 ways you can get the most out of your summer!
- Get a Job or Internship
As high school students come into adulthood, earning an income and learning how to manage money can be a beneficial skill. Moreover, age is never an issue! For instance, Kumon (math and english tutoring program) hires 15 year olds with work permits. Even in High School Musical 2, the kids of East High recognized the importance of job experience when they applied for a job at Sharpay Evans’ family resort. Internships are also a great way to spend your time this summer! You can work with professionals and make lasting connections with scientists, engineers, and artists across the globe! Unfortunately, finding these opportunities may be a hassle. Lucky for you, Peerlift offers a whole page of qualified and quality internships specific to each subject. So, hop on to Peerlift.org to discover what internships await you!
2. Take Online Courses
Several high schools require art and health credits which numerous individuals can not fit into their schedules. Thus, taking online courses for school credit is a great way to be proactive this summer. How do you do it? Have a conversation with your guidance counselor and discover ways you can take classes through your local college or online program, so you won’t have to take a class during the school year. Furthermore, there are several classes in colleges that students can attend (for ex: programming, fine arts, public speaking, acting, etc.) for no credit. This experience is extremely beneficial because learning is not only for the school year!
3. Travel
Travel is an exceptional way to be immersed in cultural diversity, and you will be absolutely transformed after you go. Being able to escape from all the chaos in life and just live in the moment is the sole purpose of vacationing. Hop on a plane and go explore! Ask your parents to go to a foreign country and have a plan for what you want to do there. Cost can sometimes be a hindrance for some individuals, so you must look for special student discounts and scholarships. Peerlift offers numerous scholarships on their website, and you can categorize what type of scholarship you want to specifically apply for. Find the scholarship most applicable and reasonable for your lifestyle. Whether you are a freshman or senior in high school, Peerlift can make scholarship-hunting an easier task as opposed to just searching on Google. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive; however, also remember (at the same time) that memories are priceless and forever. If you don’t seem keen on the idea of planes, go on a road trip! Road trips bring friends and families together and give a sense of fun while traveling. Either way, be more adventurous this summer because you never know who/what you might find along the way!
4. Summer Programs
Summer camps are a perfect combination of fun and education. They offer a structured opportunity for students to explore different colleges all over the world. These camps give high school students a sense of what college is like and how the courses are. This would be a great way to figure out the dynamics of a college you are interested in going to. Summer programs can cultivate your abilities in a specific area, so you can really divulge into something you are passionate about. This can include anything from robotics to the arts. However, it can be hard to find summer camps that offer your interests and passions. Luckily, Peerlift has an incredible page on nationwide summer camps where you can narrow down the best opportunity for you! Visit peerlift.org to discover summer camps where you could have an awesome experience!
5. College Visits
Now, you might think this section is directed only to incoming seniors, but visiting colleges at an early age is a brilliant idea, and here’s why. Plenty of people have an idea where they’re going to college to, but they often forget they also have to like where the university is located, local cuisine, school size, party life, and transportation. Go on a road trip (look at #3 for why road trips are beneficial) and look at the colleges that interest you. Click here to learn about getting to know a school if you can’t afford to visit.
6. Create a Resume
This is one of the most advantageous tasks you can do to be proactive this summer. A resume is a collection of all your credentials and experiences throughout your high school career. There are plenty of templates you can find if you just search on the handy-dandy internet. In essence, resumes are used as first impressions and background knowledge. When applying for a job (look at #1 for importance of having a job in the summer), you hand your resume to your employer to show all your work experience and your academic achievements. Even if you are not applying for a job anytime in the near future, make this document! Individuals can often be forgetful, so you want to make sure to write down all your accomplishments! It can be as simple as writing all the awards and achievements you’ve gotten in a single word document. Having a list of credentials can be tremendously beneficial in the long run.
Make this summer memorable! Try new experiences and find new friends. Summer is the season of fun! As Gabriella told Troy in High School Musical 2 (when she was about to leave him which later turns into a song sequence), “I want to remember this summer”.
