Making Plans for Summer
So you have a plan for preparing for college during the school year. But what about during the summer? The time between school years is also a good time to further your preparation.
The main activity for most students during the summer is work. Working allows you to save money, gain valuable experience, and pad your application. If you do plan on working and have not yet secured a job, the best time to start looking is spring. This is when most employers looking for summer help will be hiring. To find opportunities, look at the help wanted ads, check with local businesses, and ask your friends where they got their jobs. If you haven’t gotten a job by the time summer starts, it still isn’t too late to try. You might just have to settle for a job that you don’t like as much.
Another thing that you can do during the summer is make sure your brain doesn’t take a vacation along with you. While it is tempting to give your mind a rest, try doing something to keep it active. Go to the library and check out some books to read. You can also read some newspapers or magazines such as ‘Time’ to keep track of current events. You can still relax, watch TV, and play video games, but try to set aside at least a little time to stimulate your mind. This will especially help if you are planning on taking the ACT or SAT exam that fall. You won’t have to work so hard to ‘get back in the groove.’
So, as summer approaches, decide on what you want to do. Apply for a job, get a library card, or find a study guide. Any of these things will give you an edge over people who just took the summer off.