Summer is definitely a time for fun and relaxation, but it’s also a two-month period Royals should be using to get ahead on their academics and resumes. Whether you’re a freshman or a junior, there are several activities you can engage in over the summer to enhance your college applications and gain valuable experiences for the future. We’ve put together a list of suggestions to help you have a productive yet enjoyable summer:
Get your service hours done
For rising juniors and seniors, getting service hours done early can be a game-changer. Check out the Rosary website for the list of approved agencies and get them done over the summer so you can have one more stressor off your list.
Rosary hosts many summer camps which can help take care of your hours. Science Teacher Mrs. Grasz shares, “Rosary is committed to hosting summer camps and could certainly use your help! You will be asked to commit to serving for 1 full week from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. OR from 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m. This will earn you 1 semester’s worth of service hours.”
Get a job or internship
Jobs and internships can help build your skills and have the potential to build connections with individuals in your future career field. Plus, the cash flow from a job would be a nice addition to your summer. Internships, on the other hand, can help you discover new career paths and help you get a head start towards your future; in addition, internships can be more flexible, they aren’t always in-person or super demanding. Rosary has a wide network of alumnae in all fields, so if you reach out to faculty members like Mrs. O’Campo ’02 or Mrs. Pontius ’03, they can help find a program for you.
Take a college class
Community college classes are so underrated! The benefits: most are completely online, they only last a few weeks, they count for a college credit (in the state of California) and look good on your resume, they’re free as long as you’re an eligible high school student and there is a diverse range of classes. And trust me, they really aren’t hard. If you have a specific academic interest, seriously consider taking a college class this summer. Talk to your academic counselor for more guidelines and for help applying.
Apply for a summer program
The majority of colleges, in-state and out-of-state, have prestigious summer programs. Though they are sometimes a little pricey, they give you a glimpse into college life, can help you make a decision about where you want to apply, can be tailored to your unique interests and can, sometimes, give you a leg up on other college applicants. Also, you have the ability to make new friends with students like you from across the country. College summer programs can be super rewarding, so do some research about the programs offered at colleges near you and how to apply. Junior Melina Gonzalez is excited to be participating in Pepperdine University’s Youth Citizenship Seminar for one week this summer. She shared, “I think YCS will be an amazing opportunity to not only learn a lot and grow as a servant leader, but it will also be great to network and learn from other students and mentors who will be attending.” This summer program sounds like a great chance for Melina to make the most of her summer!
Apply for scholarships
Summer is the perfect time to apply for scholarships outside of Rosary. Trust me when I say that there is a lot of money available to you; you just have to find it. With minimal research, you can find a plethora of available scholarships that can be broad or niche and tailored to your identity and interests. There are all kinds of submissions, too: no-essay scholarships, photo scholarships, creative writing scholarships, and so much more. Since you’ll have some more downtime, summer is the perfect time to apply for scholarships.
Get ahead in your classes by reviewing the material before the school year starts
Yes, I know this sounds boring. BUT your future self will thank you. If you’re dreading taking a class, especially in a subject like math or science that builds on prior knowledge, life will be a lot harder when you don’t remember anything from your previous classes. To get ahead, I recommend looking at the material for your class ahead of time. This doesn’t have to be time-consuming or stressful, and honestly, you don’t necessarily have to understand the material yet; just stimulating your brain will help keep things fresh up there. Personally, I like to watch Khan Academy videos because they review the entire curriculum in order and have great, easy-to-understand instructional videos and practice problems.
On that note, summer can also be the perfect time to reteach yourself or catch up on material you may have forgotten or struggled with. Before you start new in all your classes, it’s important to make sure you have a good foundational knowledge, so summer is a good time to close any learning gaps you may have.
The school year is almost over, so that means it’s time to make summer plans, and prepare for finals. Have a fun and productive summer, Royals!
