We saw it coming, and it’s happening. Colleges and universities acted first, but now high schools are also taking swift action to keep students safe. For millions of students around the world, this means staying home and social distancing — or avoiding contact with all non-essential people. Most students will not have had this much free time since before they started structured schooling at four or five years old, including during summers. Without camps, sports, and other structured activities, and with it inadvisable to hang out with friends, there is a lot of free time to tackle.
Free time is a good thing, but it can also be overwhelming for students and their parents. Students must be empowered to put structure in place to make the most of it. The best way to do this is to fill time with something meaningful, but by ‘meaningful,’ we don’t necessarily mean academic. Students already have so much schoolwork to keep up with that we are advocating for our clients to think outside of the box when scheduling out the rest of their time.
Right now, we are helping our clients select a second or third interest to develop that is not directly related to their collegiate and career aspirations. They do not need another ‘on brand’ activity. Instead, we are asking them to embrace this time as an opportunity to explore and play without pressure in ways that our students probably have not had time to do for years.
Below are 15 ideas for activities for high school students that can lead to a new passion and a sense of purpose when so much is uncertain.
Create a board game from scratch! Build the board and pieces, make the rules, and test it with your family.
Select an author you are curious about and read every book they’ve ever written.
Start seedlings in your windowsill for a patio, balcony, or backyard garden.
Invent a recipe for a cookie using only what’s in your pantry.
Discover a new way to cook an egg. (Bon Appétit found 59!)
Learn a new art form, like drawing, painting, jewelry-making, knitting, or creating sculptures with found objects.
Build something with wood, like a bookshelf.
Make a new toy for a younger sibling.
Write and illustrate a children’s book for a younger sibling or relative.
Make a short film on your cellphone (Lady Gaga’s newest music video was shot on an iPhone)
Climb a mountain (on your stairs). Find the height of a mountain you’ve been wanting to hike, divide it by the height of the staircases in your home, and start trekking.
Visit a new place (on Google earth).
Mend your ripped clothes. Sashiko Mending is a hand-sewing technique that is as easy as it is beautiful.
Implement more sustainable practices in your home. You could start composting, sew mesh vegetable bags, or make beeswax wraps to replace plastic wrap for covering dishes.
Learn to fix things! Ask your parents what is broken around the house and try to learn how to fix it. Start small, such as with a squeaky door or sticky drawer.
If you are looking for guidance in your new adventures, many resources are available to you! YouTube is a gold mine for learning about new hobbies and activities, many libraries are still loaning books, and some have even done away with late fees!
We help our students build their applications from the ground up, including fostering passions and interests that stand out on paper and stick with them long after they press send. If you are looking for holistic support through the college application process, send us a note. We’d love to help.