For most high schoolers, the academic year is finished, and summer break is here! But should students take the whole summer off? We suggest that students fit in a few really productive activities, along with some downtime and relaxation. Encourage your student to take some time this summer to think about their interests and to do some goal setting for the future. Specifically, what can high schoolers be doing to set themselves up for future success?
Here are a few activities that can help all high schoolers:
*JOURNALING – an unstructured way to jot down thoughts on the future, reflect on the past school year, learning style preferences, personal strengths & weaknesses, and challenges that were overcome. Reflections such as these provide insights for students that can help them make decisions about future goals and provide topics for any college application essays ahead.
*IMAGINING AN IDEAL JOB and then talking to some people who have that job to learn more about it – either with an informational interview or more casually. This activity can help students get a more realistic picture of that goal job and also learn about similar jobs in the same career cluster.
*READING – keep reading all summer. Now that school is out, students have time to read for leisure rather than as an assignment. The more they read, the more they increase their vocabulary and exposure to new concepts.
*IMPROVING KEYBOARDING TECHNIQUE- understanding and using home row typing is a valuable skill that all students need, and many have not yet mastered. The “hunt and peck” typing style is much less efficient and accurate, so the sooner students can improve their keyboarding skills and speed, the better.
*TRAVELING and while you are out and about check out colleges wherever you go. Starting early to look at colleges gives students a chance to think about what feels right in location type (suburban or urban?) and size, as well as how the college application process works, what makes a strong applicant, and the kinds of programs that colleges offer. Gaining this knowledge will help students be better prepared when the time comes for them to decide which colleges to apply to. And who doesn’t love traveling to new places on summer break?
*EXPLORING A PASSION - summer is a great time for students to do a deep dive into an activity (hobby, volunteer service, work) that they are really interested in. With fewer demands on their time, they may be able to focus on that one interest in a more in-depth way than they can during the school year when they have to muti-tasking while juggling many classes.
The next few months should definitely include some fun adventures and relaxation for students as a way to recharge before the next school year, but if they can fit in some of the activities suggested above, they will reap the benefits in their future years.
Confident College Planning helps students identify their core interests and competencies, and assists with the alignment between their career options and the colleges that excel in preparation for that chosen career. If you would like professional guidance for the critical milestones and best practice insights into the college selection process, contact me at nancy@confidentcollegeplanning.com to schedule a consultation!
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