Summers are for relaxing, right? That’s what just about every movie or book tells us. Summers are when young people get to relax, let loose, and forget about the stresses that follow them around the other nine months of the year. The problem is, this isn’t really the case anymore. As colleges have become more selective, what they expect of applicants has grown. Nine months isn’t enough time to squeeze it all it, so summer break has become less about letting loose and more about getting something to throw on your resume.
This shift is understandably frustrating. Junior year is a pressure cooker. Senior year is stressful. Why can’t the time between the two be fun?
Well, as the risk of sounding very cheesy, it can be! Doing something purposeful and productive with your summer doesn’t have to (and shouldn’t) mean being miserable. Each year, we help dozens of students plan meaningful, fulfilling, and application-boosting summer breaks. It is possible to have a great time, to recharge, and to help yourself get ahead.
The key to building a summer that balances fun and function before your senior year is to follow the rule of thirds. Your summer should be divided into three segments — this could mean segmenting the entire summer into three long blocks, or — and especially if you are staying home this summer — dividing each day into thirds.
The First Third
The first third is the one we know you are looking for. This is the time you are consciously setting aside to relax, disconnect, reconnect, express yourself, exercise, or anything else that you could categorize in the “best summer ever” box. For some people, this time may be spent at a local swimming spot or hanging out in a friend’s yard. Others might use this time to paint, make music, or film a short flick with friends.
However you choose to spend this time, it should be something that fulfills you and makes you excited about life.
The Second Third
The second third of your time shouldn’t be spent on something that you find unexciting, but it isn’t as fun-oriented as the first third is. This segment of your time should be focused on an application-boosting activity that connects to what you want to pursue into college. It could be a job, an internship, an academic summer program, or a self-directed course of study at a local college.
Whatever you choose to fill this time with, it needs to make sense with who you are and how you are presenting yourself to colleges. If you join a theater company because you’ve always been curious about acting, that does not count for this section. That’s first third stuff. The vast majority of volunteering, and any volunteering that involves travel, does not count for this section either. Again, that’s first third stuff. So what is an example of something that does fulfill the requirements for the second third?
If you are an aspiring pre-med student, an internship at a local dentist’s office or EMT course may be a good fit.
If you are interested in majoring in history, an internship at the local library or research assistant position with a local scholar would be a perfect way to fill this time.
If you aren’t sure what you are going to major in, but love science, a job working behind the scenes at a local animal rescue could be a fun way to further explore biology and zoology while also getting to hang out around cuddly creatures.
Here are some other ideas for aspiring entrepreneurs, debaters, theater kids, and writers.
The Third Third
The silly-sounding third third of your time should be spent prepping for college admissions. This is the time for campus visits, information sessions, essay writing, and supplement drafting once school-specific supplements are released in early August.
You should plan to start school in the fall with your Common App essay completed and many of your supplements fully drafted, and that is not going to happen if you don’t set time aside.
The Final Sum
Three thirds. It’s pretty simple. Together, they add up to a summer that balances fun and function, and that makes the most of your free time without you having to sacrifice any semblance of a good time.
Remember that the thirds aren’t always going to work out to be perfectly equal, and sometimes there could be overlap. If you are going to college for dance, teaching a special needs dance program could be an application-boosting activity and something that you find fulfilling and relaxing. Alternatively, it could be exhausting for you, and, as a response, you have to set aside a few hours each day for self-care to recharge.
That’s ok. It’s what the first third is for.
Planning the perfect summer can feel like a losing game. We change that. Email us to learn more.