So, you’re a month or so into summer and you’ve been playing video games, hanging out by the pool, and chowing down on hot dogs and watermelon. Or, maybe not. Perhaps you have been hunting for a fun summer job, going on campus visits per the advice from our previous blog (check it out here: http://www.caaconnect.com/2014/06/06/how-to-make-a-college-road-trip-memorable/), or you just returned home from a nice, relaxing (and much needed!) beach vacation. Whatever you’ve been doing, CAA suggests you spend the rest of your summer fun being productive! Productive summers can lead to rewarding results such as developing leadership skills and personal satisfaction. Colleges want to know that you were engaged during your breaks, so learn something you’ll be able to talk to them about! If you’re old enough, finding a summer job may be a top priority. This will take time and diligence. The easiest jobs to find are usually in fast food or sacking groceries. However, if these options don’t appeal to you, look into applying as a lifeguard, sales clerk (retail stores), valet driver, delivery driver, or an office assistant to a business professional. Since businesses cannot hire under the age of 14 and may limit your hours if you’re under 16, CAA recommends younger students consider a community-based job like baby-sitting, pet-sitting, dog-walking, mowing/watering lawns, or tutoring. What if you don’t need to earn money for college or personal expenses? Then CAA suggests that you search for volunteer opportunities. Think about your career path. Maybe you want to learn more about working with animals but aren’t sure how. Try volunteering at a local animal shelter or clinic. If social issues are important to you, maybe you could organize your own volunteer project. For example, you could organize a reverse garage sale where your entire neighborhood brings their unwanted items, like clothing, furniture, electronics, etc., to your house to then be donated to a local charity. Or get a group of friends together to clean up the neighborhood. You should also consider the quantity and quality of your volunteering efforts. Have you gone above and beyond? Was the work challenging? All-in-all, volunteer service builds character, develops your leadership skills, and can be a great topic for a college essay. So, get out there and help someone in need! Finally, you can always work on your academics for the next school year by reading, writing stories, or working on your AP or IB summer project. Don’t procrastinate, because summer will be over before you know it. One last tip: enjoy your summer! It shouldn’t be all work and no play. If we can’t take time for ourselves, what’s the point? As always, CAA clients can contact us for more ways to engage this summer.
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