By Claire Rose
The season of beach going, ice cream eating, and lots and lots of doing nothing; it’s just around the corner. Sure, the absolute calm of summer will be entertaining in its own odd way, but after a couple of weeks, having significantly fewer responsibilities becomes boring.
The best thing to do to brighten up those inevitably dull days may seem to be to go to a theme park, spend the day shopping, or to partake in some “other” activities. While these are all options, for better or worse, there are some other ventures that can be just as fun and rewarding, but will also look attractive on a college application or future resume.
The best thing to do to brighten up those inevitably dull days may seem to be to go to a theme park, spend the day shopping, or to partake in some “other” activities. While these are all options, for better or worse, there are some other ventures that can be just as fun and rewarding, but will also look attractive on a college application or future resume.
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| Kayla Potter and Jenna Bailey |
Join a Club or Sport
Amp up Artistic Abilities
It should be no surprise that participation in sports and clubs look appealing to colleges; they display creativity, ability to work with a team, and in some cases, leadership. But there’s no need to wait for school to start to join in on the fun. Sports, such as crew, have summer seasons and there are plenty of non-school related clubs to join during the summer.
Volunteer
Volunteering will always be a rewarding activity that adds to a college application. Lynn Goldberg, an essential part of the teen volunteer program at the Plainfield branch of KDL, said volunteering is “an important way to give back to your community, as well as explore new interests and paths. Colleges will look at your volunteer experience and recognize that you have gained skills and knowledge in problem solving, working with others and helping better your community.”
If art is something one wants to pursue post-high school, they better be pretty good at it. This may mean fine-tuning painting or musical abilities, but it could also mean something completely different. Someone who enjoys writing or sharing their hobbies may benefit from starting a blog, or a youtube channel if that’s more their speed. Colleges will be impressed by the creativity and dedication it takes a person to amp up their artistic skills.
Turn a Vacation into an Opportunity
If one is planning on going somewhere exotic or just plain beautiful they could snap a (high quality) picture and submit it into a photography competition. Maybe someone stopping at a more culturally diverse location might submit a paper or social commentary to a writing competition. Doing things like this not only show commitment to one’s craft, but also how confident they are in their abilities.
Learn a Language
Yes, the high school does require taking two years of a language, but those can only do so much; if one really wants to learn a language, they better work on it more than just nine months a year. Keisha Thomas, an ASL teacher here at Northview said learning a new language, “allows you to develop your communication skills and even understand your own language and culture from another perspective.” It is no surprise that people who know multiple languages are sought after by both prospective colleges and jobs, “they have abilities to communicate with a much larger population and in doing so can help build the bridge between cultures either on or off campus or in the workplace,” according to Thomas.
Get a Job
This should need no explanation; showing a willingness to stick to a schedule and sacrifice a few hours a week to a job displays dedication and also shows that a student knows how to manage their time (assuming they keep their grades up). Plus, getting a job is a great opportunity to make new friends outside of school, and there’s money to be made; most people seem to really like money.
Photos courtesy of Olivia Domine and Roar Staff
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