Summer Break: A Guide to Maximize Both Fun and Utility

How should you approach summer break?

Summer is a time of bliss for the majority of high school students. Summer means summer break. It means vacation. It means not having to haul oneself out of bed at a pre-ordained time every weekday to hustle off to school. That being said, summer can also bring about summer jobs, various new commitments, and a sense of anxiety for students wondering if they are “doing enough” with their activities to paint a realistic and compelling portrait of their interests come college admissions time.

Maximize both fun and utility this summer break.

Therefore, much of the Milestone Counseling that we do early-on here at Moxie surrounds summer planning and how to maximize both the fun and utility that can be found during the break. This blog post is meant to act as both a guide and primer to our services to make sure that you get a sense of how we advise students to approach their summer break. 

Do what you love.

Our first tip when it comes to summer planning is simple: do what you love! There is no use from an application standpoint in completing a two-week coding crash course if you’re not interested in learning how to code. While gaining knowledge about programming languages is never a bad thing in this technological world that we live in, it will not add anything to your desire to get your Master’s in Music Theory and become a composer if that is indeed what you would like to do. Therefore, we recommend that you take a little bit of time to think of what really compels you to be yourself – both academically and non-academically – and make time for both in your summer schedule. That week of sleep-away ultimate frisbee camp balances nicely with the month of study at NYU’s summer film program. The key to doing what you love over the summer comes in distilling a list of options for programs and/or activities in which you can take part and then doing your research to find out which ones would be right for you. Our stellar educational counselors here at Moxie will have ideas for you from the outset of your time with us and will work with you to find which one fits your unique identity best. 

Throw yourself into what you’re doing.

Even if they’re not what you imagined, immersing yourself in the activities for which you are signed up will help create unique and memorable experiences that you’ll be able to take into your college application process. Instead of shying away from the discomfort that comes along with a new experience, lean into it and push yourself out of your comfort zone to find growth in what you’re doing. Who knows? You might be surprised at what you find. At the very least, you will figure out what you don’t like, a realization that can be extremely helpful in its own right while developing a college list that’s right for you. 

Keep a journal this summer break.

See our blog post entitled “A New Strategy for College Essay Success” to see how beneficial keeping a weekly journal can be for your application process. Essentially, taking five minutes every week to write down meaningful experiences (both positive and negative) and how you felt about them will make drafting your college essays a whole lot easier. The importance of this practice is heightened in the summer when a student tries different programs outside of their usual school-week schedule. 

Create lasting relationships.

Professors and counselors who you meet over the summer can become folks who write your recommendation letters. They can become advocates. Most importantly, however, they can become friends who guide you in your development toward college and beyond. Your earnest development that these mentors help foster will lead you to become a more informed applicant.

For help with your summer plans and much more, contact us today!