The 2020-2021 school year is finally coming to an end and summer is right around the corner. For seniors, this will be the last summer vacation they will ever have before they begin college in the fall. Seniors must decide how they want to spend their summer to be able to make the most of their time.
Summer vacation can be approached and interpreted in many different ways. For some, it is a chance to let loose, relax, and not have to worry about attending classes and completing assignments. For others, it is a chance to get an early head start for their next school year by either taking summer classes or developing better habits that will aid them in their next semester in school. In any case, seniors at Edison are looking forward to their summer break.
Summer break is a time when students can finally relax and take a breather before going back to studying night and day.
“I’m truthfully extremely drained by the workload I’ve been receiving. I think I really need a break, I actually feel as if the pressure and intensity of school has increased since the beginning of the year,” said Montanaz Chowdhury, a senior at Thomas Edison.
This sentiment is shared by many throughout the school who believe that their summer break will give them a chance to enjoy their time before they begin college in the fall. Many seniors have also gotten their driver’s license, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for fun and luxury.
“I want to try driving to different places. I am still pretty new to driving but I want to be able to take my friends to the beach, watch movies, and eat good food,” said Chowdhury.
Some students are still hesitant to travel due to the pandemic. “I don’t have any plans to travel, as most places are still dangerous due to COVID-19,” said Atiyk Ahmeed. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this is especially worrying due to the new variants of Covid-19 that have emerged in recent months.
Prepping for college is also something that has crossed the minds of seniors as they are aware of how the workload will increase dramatically once they enter college.
“I feel that I need to improve on time management. I need to be prepared for the hefty workload that college will welcome and plan better,” said Chowdhury. This is something that students will have to consider improving on before they enter college as it could allow their transition to be much smoother. “I think I need to improve my studying habits and stop procrastinating,” said Ahmeed.
While students begin prepping for the next few years of their lives in college, they must also consider what a summer break entails, what it should be used for, and if there is even a right way to spend it.
“A summer being well [spent] would be having fun with friends (if they are fully vaccinated), working and earning money, sleeping well, and exercising,” said Chowdhury. “I think for a summer being well spent, you should do something you enjoy,” said Ahmeed.
These responses make sense considering this will be their final summer break before college and all the stress associated with attending classes full time begins. If you are having a hard time figuring out how to spend your summer break, consider the following activities:
- Consider taking up a new hobby such as cooking, drawing, or writing.
- Travel to new places while maintaining proper precautions and procedures during the pandemic. Exploring new places will be a great way for you to discover new things about the world and yourself. It may even help you decide what you would want to pursue as a career.
- Seniors that are 18 can finally earn their driver’s license, so it may be a good idea to practice proper driving procedure and make safe driving a habit.
- Consider finding a part-time job to make some extra money.
- Try to improve different academic aspects of your life such as sleeping and waking up earlier, managing your time wisely every day, and getting all necessary tasks and errands done quickly