Summer is an exciting time of beginnings, changes, and adventure. There’s just so much you need and want to do in what feels like so little time! Look no further than our blog to find a list of all the necessities and little joys you’ll want to stuff your summer with:
Set Up Good Habits for Mental and Physical Health:
Let’s be real. No one actually sets up new habits and goals on January 1st. It’s the middle of winter, and we’d all rather be a blanket burrito. Summer on the other hand is perfect for this, full of long, sunny days and post-finals freedom.
- Fix your sleep schedule to get 7-9 hours of sleep.
- Find healthy recipes that make you happy
- Find an exercise that works for your lifestyle and enjoyment
- Try out mindfulness
- Get outside and enjoy the fresh air- with lots of sunscreen!
College Application Preparation
Rising Seniors and Juniors have a lot to consider when it comes to college applications. Juniors can get a major head start now by starting to consider a few of these items. Seniors should complete as many of these steps as possible over the summer so that your fall semester is as uncluttered as possible. If you save it all until Autumn, it’s going to be a rough start to Senior Year!
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Sit down and consider your goals. They don’t have to be set in stone, but having a direction makes decisions easier and your application more cohesive.
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Create a list of colleges that align with these goals. Consider disciplines, location, size, and community style.
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Talk to people from those colleges. Administration and professors are great, but if you can talk to students that’s where you’ll get the real story.
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Visit campuses if possible.
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Start applications- especially your college essay.
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Take the summer to prepare for your ACT/SAT so you can take it in early fall at the latest to minimize your stress level.
Get Ahead on Difficult Courses
No matter what year of school you’re going into, there are a few simple ways you can ensure you step in with your best foot forward (even if a year of online learning made things a lot more difficult).
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Sign up for academic tutoring to brush up any gaps in understanding from the previous year or get ahead on a course you anticipate being difficult. Check out our Foundations Courses.
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Go through notes from the last year. Get rid of anything that you’ll never use again, and organize the actually useful things into a binder or drive for easy reference.
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Look up reading lists to see if you can get ahead!
Volunteer
Volunteering is one of the best uses for your summer free time. Not only does it help the world and look great on applications, but it’s also a fantastic way for you to explore, experience and learn new things, and tie these new experiences into your existing interests and goals. Some local San Diego Options:
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Nature Collective (San Elijo Lagoon Conservatory)
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San Diego Food Bank
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Canine For Companions Service Programs
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SD Habitat for Humanity
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Casa de Amistad Volunteer
Personal Enrichment
Don’t forget that summer is also for fun, not just preparation, and you should be doing the things that excite you- things you’ve never tried before, things you don’t have time for during the school year. Here are just a few suggestions, but the world is your oyster!
- Make a road trip
- Read a book that wasn’t assigned to you
- Learn how to cook or bake
- Make videos with your friends
- Go camping
- Whatever it is, pick up a new hobby and dive headfirst into it. You won’t regret it.
Happy Summer from all of us at Pivot!