What Should My High Schooler Be Doing Over the Summer? The Answer Might Surprise You
What should your high school student be doing with their precious summer? Wait for it……they should be having fun.
That’s the answer, the whole answer. As a college admissions advisor, I am often asked this exact question. It is not my intention to come off as flippant about this question but rather, honest. What was true for my generation (I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s), is true for Gen Z.
I know, I know, did we really drink water from a hose and ride horses and bicycles from sunrise to sunset? Yes. And we didn’t have cell phones, or much in the way of money, plans or supervision. And God it was great. I also siphoned gas from my neighbor’s car, more than once. But that’s a story for another time. I will argue that an unencumbered, slightly unscheduled, and fun summer will contribute to your student’s mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health more than just about anything else.
Honestly, anything that combines a flexible agenda with a vast reduction in device use will produce a magic potion of goodness and delight. Sprinkle in a job and we’ve got a home run! Most jobs available to high school students are in a service-related industry. Again, reflecting on my formative years (are those over yet?) I worked as a server and bartender for 11 years; essentially all throughout high school and college (I was on the 6-year undergrad track). I was deeply and thoroughly schooled in humanity, patience, kindness, rudeness, pressure, teamwork, decision-making, conflict resolution and money. And these lessons are my greatest life lessons, serving me in a million ways.
Below you’ll find just a few ideas on how to “constructively” spend your Summer before College that prioritizes fun and exploration for your high schooler.
1. Volunteer Opportunities
This can be an AMAZING way to spend those free Summer hours, exploring new hobbies, passions, and organizations while learning time management and responsibilities! These, inherently, can be added to your student’s applications as College admissions are always looking for well-rounded individuals who spend time in their community.
2. College Visits
Make a fun Summer road trip out of a few College visits - this is a fantastic way to see new places, travel during the Summer and, most importantly, get your student excited for the long-term goal of attending college. A lot of College towns have students who stick around and work local jobs during the Summertime so it’s a great way to see the town or city your student could potentially be living in during the “downtime” less busy months. It’s important to make sure your child can picture living in the area and not just life on campus.
3. Personal Growth and Hobbies
Encourage your student to pursue personal interests and hobbies during the summer, as these can contribute to their personal development and enrich their college applications - oh, and have some Summer fun. Pitch some out-of-the-box ideas for activities like joining summer clubs, starting a blog, building a summer business, and hiking a long trail (you know your kids best, what’re they into?).
4. Developing Time Management and Organization Skills
Grab a Summer job! The biggest hurdle most new-to-college students face is adjusting to being in charge of their own schedule and utilizing their free time effectively. Not only will they get a taste of the financial freedom that comes from having their own job, but they’ll get to practice the basics of organization and time management. Summer jobs also offer an entire pool of new friends to make and a great way to practice those impending socialization skills that will be put to the test when starting college.
5. Shadowing or Internships:
Have a student who is convinced they want to work in medicine or has never considered another major other than the one they have imagined forever? Try to find a Summer internship or job shadowing opportunity in that field and let your student explore the reality of that profession in the real world - they might be surprised by what they learn and it could offset a change in major down the road. Conversely, they could just be the 1% of us who know exactly what we want to be and it just solidifies their choice! Both are a win-win.
Here are five popular websites that are commonly used to find summer internships:
- Internships.com: is a widely recognized platform that offers a vast database of internship opportunities across various industries and locations. The website allows you to search for internships, create a profile, and receive personalized internship recommendations.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that also features a robust job and internship search section. Many companies and organizations post internship opportunities on LinkedIn, and you can filter your search based on location, industry, and internship type.
- Indeed: Indeed is a popular job search engine that includes a wide range of internship listings. It aggregates internship postings from various sources, including company websites, job boards, and recruitment agencies. You can refine your search by location, industry, and internship duration.
- Glassdoor: Glassdoor not only provides insights into company reviews and salaries but also has a dedicated section for internships. You can search for internships based on location, industry, and keywords. Glassdoor also provides company-specific information to help you make informed decisions about potential internships.
- Chegg Internships: Chegg Internships is a platform specifically designed for students seeking internships. It offers a comprehensive database of internship opportunities across different fields and provides resources for career development and interview preparation.
While these websites are popular and offer a wide range of internship listings, it's always beneficial to explore multiple resources and directly check company websites or utilize industry-specific job boards for specific internship opportunities. Additionally, leveraging personal connections and networking can often lead to hidden internship openings that may not be advertised on these platforms.
6. Summer WorkAway Program
Do you have a student who’s itching to travel? Who hasn’t spent time away from home yet before going off to college? Workaway programs can range from days, weeks, or months, allowing participants to go help work on a vineyard in Italy, harvest agave on a farm in Oaxaca, tend to horses on an equestrian ranch in Spain - you name it, workaway hosts it. These programs offer a place to stay in exchange for hard work and learning new skills and responsibilities you might not have access to where you grew up. Most of these programs are hosted by caring individuals who will teach you their native language on your trip and who genuinely care about giving back to those who come to help them on their travels.
Explore all workaway programs here!
Summers are a sacred time
Contrary to popular belief, I will always argue that a “productive Summer” equates to a “fun Summer”. Drawing from my experience as a college admissions advisor and reflecting on my own upbringing, I emphasize the importance of an unencumbered and slightly unscheduled summer for your student’s mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.
Reducing device usage and incorporating flexible agendas can lead to a magical concoction of freedom and self-exploration. Part-time jobs, particularly in the service industry, can provide invaluable life lessons in humanity, patience, teamwork, and decision-making. And peppering in constructive summer activities, including volunteer opportunities, college visits, personal growth and hobbies, contribute to the development of time management skills. A job, and exploring shadowing or internship opportunities related to potential career paths can all be amazing ways to spend those Summer hours.
The aim is to prioritize fun, exploration, and personal development while setting the stage for your successful transition to college life.
