Hit the Books

With nearly two entire months to yourself, it’s easy to spend it by just laying at home, going to the beach, and most of all, avoiding any school work. However, many students (including myself) recognize the pressures of the following academic year and view summer as an opportunity to get ahead. Thus, summertime should be spent preparing for the upcoming year and focusing on accomplishing things that will benefit you in the future.

I fell into the practice of getting ahead with my academics without even realizing it in my sophomore year when I enrolled in multiple online classes and completed a summer program. Reflecting on it, I may have been having less fun than if I were participating in typical summer plans. But now, it feels worth it because it set me up for success.

For instance, since I had taken additional language courses online, I was able to take more advanced courses in person at school such as AP Computer Science Principles and AP Art History. Additionally, thanks to the test prep I did over the summer, I was able to have a plan and practice for my future SAT tests.

Then, during the most important summer in my opinion, the summer before senior year, I spent the majority of my time working on college applications, from making my lists and organizing my activities to finalizing my college essay. When senior year came around, one of the main reasons I stayed afloat amongst school work and the application process was precisely because of the prep I had done over the summer. 

When I rejoined my peers back at school in the fall, I saw groups of people who, similar to me, dedicated themselves to their academics over the break versus those who did not. After talking with these groups, it’s easy to compare yourself and be discouraged if you think someone is doing more than you. In the beginning, it made me feel unproductive, but I’ve seen this emotion translate into motivation for the following year’s summer to do even better. 

The name summer break seems contradictory looking back at it now, seeing all the additional academic work I voluntarily participated in. However, it proved to be time well spent after I was able to enter the following year knowing I was ahead. Just like how diamonds form under heat and pressure, the effort put in during the summer can shape future success.

What I did during my high school summers:

• FLVS Spanish 3
• FLVS AP Macroeconomics
• DE American Social Problems
• FLVS AP Government
• FLVS AP Biology
• FLVS AP Statistics
• UF Summer Media Institute
• Legal Aid Internship
• SAT Prep
• College Counseling
• Volunteering

Hit the Beach

The shackles of responsibility have been broken, summer has arrived, and it’s now the time to sit back and relax, relishing in the stability of the life you’ve built for yourself. 

Summer is a time to bask in the youthfulness and freedom that childhood brings before the long slog of working until school begins. Summer is revered throughout elementary and middle school, so why must high school be the demarcation to turn summer into a time to continue your stress-filled academic career? You should be a kid for as long as possible because growing up is nothing but trouble.

Those who take this route during summer can use their newfound free time as a chance to try new things, mentally reset from being overworked, and find out who they truly are and what their purpose is in this world: things they may not be able to learn in school. A good session of this type of soul-searching requires a near-zero level of stress.

The key for a healthy and fulfilling life is being able to look back in your old age and not regret spending a precious high school summer doing busywork for an organization simply because it would serve as an extra appendix on your college application.

For me, I understand that the expanse of free time you get during summer is unparalleled to any other point in the school year, or for that matter, your life. For that reason, it’s the perfect amount of time to master a hobby you enjoy, spend time with your friends, or go on a trip to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go to.

You could take many approaches to the objective of finding yourself. That’s the beauty of free time: it’s free. Especially at an arts school, it’s a good time to hone in your creative skills. Your time off from school isn’t wasted; it’s just being put toward another aspect of your life. The school year is enough time to maintain your grades without having to bleed into break. People can still have promising futures while also having a healthy work-life balance.

So I don’t think that packing your summer full of internships and dual enrollment programs benefits your life in the long run. When truly, the importance of the draining bombardment of busywork aside, it’s clear that it is detracting from time that could be spent bettering yourself.

What I did during my high school summers:

• Visited national parks
• Visited New York City
• Hung out with my friends
• Went to the gym
• Went to the beach