With summer just around the corner, many teenagers face a difficult question: What do I do with my newly found free time? Do I do nothing for two months and twenty days? Do I hang out with my friends in the city or at the beach? While it’s definitely nice to slow down and enjoy life, you might want to consider using your free time to your advantage. Below are some ideas on how to get the most out of your summer.
- Get a Job
I don’t mean to sound like your parents, but they do have a point. Think about it – by getting a job, you’ll have money to spend all summer long! Just don’t spend it all at one place 😉 - Get an Internship
An internship is a great way to make business connections as well as provide insight to what a particular career looks like. They can be either paid or unpaid, but the purpose is to gain experience instead of cash. If money is what you seek, you’ll be better off getting a job. If experiencing a career for a summer sounds more interesting, check your school counselor’s office for internships available to high school students. - Volunteer
Most high schools require a certain amount of volunteer hours to be met. Why not do them over the summer? You can volunteer at your local library, pet shelter, hospital, or local event, just to name a few. However, you might want to check with your school counselor for a list of places that you can volunteer to receive high school credit. - Take a Summer Course
While some of us can’t bare the idea of more time in school (stay with me on this one), taking a summer course can accelerate your high school career (assuming you pass the summer class, of course) and looks amazing on your transcript. For example, during my freshman year of high school, I took a geometry course at DVC (Diablo Valley College) and passed. That fall, I was able to take Algebra II at my high school instead of Geometry since I already took it in the summer. This allowed me to take a higher math courses throughout high school than I was previously allowed to. You may be thinking, how much is this going to cost me? Fees might vary slightly, but I only had to pay the student union fee and the textbook rental fee. UC Berkeley has a similar program, which is harder to get into and a little more costly, but is equivalent to gold on your transcripts.
For more information on the programs I mentioned above, talk to your school counselor, or check out the following links:
DVC: http://www.dvc.edu/enrollment/a-and-r/highschool.html
UC Berkeley: http://summer.berkeley.edu/
Summer is still a couple months away so you have plenty of time to decide how you want to spend it. Just remember to apply sunscreen at the beach because you will get burned.
Luis Dominguez
Social Media Intern
1st Nor Cal Credit Union