For high school seniors, graduation is right around the corner. While it wasn’t the most conventional year on record (far from it), the milestone is still cause for celebration and back-patting.
Graduating high school is one of the most formative transitional experiences in a person’s life – a time when they bid goodbye to a life of relative structure and parental support and head out into the wide world. That first summer out of high school is when you notice the change most acutely.
What do you do in your first summer away from school? In this article, let’s list a few ways you can get ready for college, prepare for a career, learn independence and – importantly – kick back and enjoy your accomplishments.
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Catch Up on Post-secondary Requirements
If you plan on attending post-secondary education, either at a college or university, but don’t yet meet the requirements for your preferred program, don’t sweat it. Just because you’ve already donned the cap and gown doesn’t mean you can’t retroactively get the high school credits you need.
For instance, many useful programs in business, social sciences and the humanities require (or are greatly helped by)MDM4U – Grade 12 Data Management. If you don’t have that credit under your belt, you can take the summer to enrol in an online class through a Ministry-inspected online high school.
You might be thinking, “Continue high school studies right after graduation?”. But online classes are flexible and self-paced, so you can still enjoy your summer as you catch up on requirements.
Learn Useful Life Skills
Whether you’re bound for a college dorm or an apartment of your own, you’ll no longer have parents around to cook and clean. Take the summer to learn essential life skills, like how to do a perfect load of laundry, how to keep a bathroom spotless and how to cook for yourself.
That latter endeavour can be a lot of fun. Now that you’re your very own personal chef, you can tweak your cooking to match your tastes. Experiment with new flavours and cooking techniques. Come September, you’ll be the most popular person in your dorm!
Work, Volunteer or Become a Mentee
Let’s say you are eschewing post-secondary education to jump into a career (or hoping to do both simultaneously). Take some time this summer to make connections. If you can, get an entry-level job in an industry that excites you. Contact mentors for advice on career paths. Or volunteer at charities that will bolster your job prospects. As mentioned above, take summer classes through an online high school to help you in your career.
Enjoy Your Free Time
Finally, amid all the preparations, remember to take some time and celebrate your accomplishments. Getting through high school was no easy feat. Even as you attend online high school courses, cook your own meals or volunteer, take some time to relax. Life may get hectic once the summer ends, so take a little time while you can!
