Summer Should Be Given a Purpose
by Kimia Pakdaman and Ben Rosenberg
Editors-in-Chief
Summer: what could be better than two free months to do whatever you want? Some people may hang out at the beach, others may travel, and some may just stay at home and relax. However, while it is important to embrace this down-time, don’t overdo it. Whether living in another country or working to save money for the future, finding a purpose in our summer is one of the most important things we can do with our time off from school.
During the school year, classwork can take precedence over other activities about which we are truly passionate. With all the pressure to earn good grades and take challenging classes, otherwise interesting activities tend to be pushed to the side. Instead of spending that extra hour playing your guitar or catching up on your favorite novel, your homework usually comes first. There just isn’t enough time for you to immerse yourself fully in what you love to do.
But this is the entire purpose of summer: to take an extended break from the pressures of high school and engage in your interests. This may mean taking classes in an otherwise extraneous topic or taking on a job to help finance a new hobby. How would the everyday high school student find out that he or she was interested in Roman architecture without taking a summer trip to Italy?
The most common thought that comes to mind when thinking about utilizing summer is community service. Though volunteer work, whether abroad or local, is a perfect way to spend one’s vacation and to aid less fortunate people, there are other options for our two-month break. One viable option is to work over the summer. Not only can you receive a lot of money, there is also the added benefit of becoming slightly more independent. Instead of feeling so reliant on your parents, you can finally go shopping or buy that concert ticket with your own money.
If you are interested in different languages and cultures, summer should be the time to travel. Several programs are available that allow American high school students to take classes in foreign countries while living with a host family. This experience will not only improve your speaking skills in that language, but also will give you an international view of the world that is hard to gain while living in Los Gatos. The next time your teacher is talking about Greece or Japan, you’ll have a first-hand experience to contribute to the discussion.
If you’d like to stay local, trips around California can benefit you greatly as well. If you’re interested in art, widen your knowledge of artists by going to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art or the Asian Art Museum. You can even enroll in pre-college programs at San Francisco Art Institute or San Francisco State University. Trips and programs like these will develop your interests and possibly give you inspiration for future goals.
For those of you who have academic interests that are not offered in high school, summer is the best time to take these classes. Classes centered on topics such as how geography affects the type of economy a country has or the mathematics used to make stable bridges are courses that are hard to come by in high school. And while you may have these classes offered in college, it is never too early to pursue these obscure subjects. Summer provides the time to take these classes and demonstrate your interests.
In addition, with such an abundant wildlife in the Bay Area, those interested in outside activities can take week-long camping trips to explore hiking trails. Or, for the more ambitious,
But remember, these are just a few of the various ways to take advantage of the time you have—there are many more opportunities out there for you to pursue your interests. Don’t forget to relax, but be sure to make your summer really matter.