Don’t Waste Your Summer! Start Preparing Now

Now that summer’s landed, it’s finally time to relax and hangout with friends all day, right? Well, yes … and no. If you just graduated from high school, you’ll have at least a couple months to relax. It’ll give you plenty of time to chill, but don’t overdo it! The summer is a terrible thing to waste, so don’t let it happen. Whether you work, start early on your studying, or do some volunteering, try and make summer months constructive. Yes, you’ll still have plenty of time to relax, but why not do something else before you begin having to spend your days studying and studying away?

A summer job is never a bad idea. No matter what it is, and even if you don’t like it, you’ll obviously have some more money if you take a summer job. College life, even on a budget, will be expensive. Aside from the big bills that college tacks on, there will be the cost of textbooks and other school supplies. And when everyone’s going to the movies or out for dinner, it’s a bummer if you can’t go because you don’t have the money. A summer spent working also means that when school does roll around, it’ll be a break from your summer job! Maybe you’ll like your summer job, though … maybe. It can also be quite a system shock to go from lounging around all day to having to study a lot! If you had a summer job, though, you’ll be used to having to get some work done.

If you don’t have to spend your summer working, it’s not a bad time to get a head start on your studies, if you know what you want to study. It might sound a bit bookish, but grab a textbook or just do some general research on the subject that should be your major. The nice thing about doing school-related work that isn’t required is that you can schedule your own study times and frankly do as much or as little as you’d like. Reading a single paragraph might not count as studying, but there’s no need to be pulling all nighters and making it rigorous. It’s summer after all! Any knowledge you can gain ahead of time will come in handy, as it can only help out those grades and make the whole learning side of college much easier.

You should also consider doing some volunteer work over the summer. You’ll feel great knowing that you helped out and did something more beneficial than sitting on the couch all day. Who does that benefit? Well, no one really, aside from the TV network business. It’s true that volunteering shouldn’t be done solely to pad your resume, but having some volunteer work on your resume will look good at any point. It can also be a cool way to try something different or be a part of an organization you wouldn’t have otherwise been a part of. If your alternative to volunteering is sleeping in until noon and then staying in your bathrobe all day, which situation sounds better? You’ll feel good and help out plenty of other people too.

So no matter what you decide for the summer, don’t waste that time! Your next summers might be spent having to work to help pay those college bills. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you do have some freedom. Take advantage of that. Finally, don’t forget to have some fun! It is summer, the weather’s nice, you don’t have any homework, and it is glorious.