With summer holidays around the corner (or already started, in some cases!), many of you are ready to DO SUMMER! But don’t let the opportunities during your summer experiences pass you by. You don’t want to have any regrets about what “could have been”, or feel like you missed out on making an impact because the time went too quickly. No matter what you do, here are some tips that are important to keep in mind to make sure your summer experiences are valuable.
- Be proactive – Whether you are one of many students in a SAT prep class, or are joining a small group of high-achieving leaders, don’t sit back and let the opportunity to engage pass you by. Each day, think about things you can do to be more active in your surroundings, in a way that’s genuine to you.
- Have a goal – Ask yourself what you want to get out of the opportunity at the start. Whether you are volunteering, taking a course, or traveling, make sure you take the time to think through what you want to gain, accomplish, or achieve. This can be something tangible like “understanding the fundamentals of psychology”, or action-oriented, such as “seeing through the project of marketing a new app to teenagers.” It may help to write down your goal, and review it each week, to track your progress.
- Try something outside of your comfort zone – This applies regardless of what you are engaging in during the summer. Maybe the activity you have chosen is taking you outside your comfort zone (that’s great!), but if it’s something you are already good at and you are pursuing it because of this, make sure you take on new challenges, and think about interactions you can have that helps you see things in new ways.
- Ask lots of questions – Be thoughtful, and don’t ask just for the sake of asking, but because you are genuinely interested, and want to learn more. And don’t forget to spend time listening to the answer, and reflecting on it.
Have a great summer, and make sure you take the time to relax and do things you enjoy!