High-schooler, what are you doing this summer?

Well it's technically spring all year long here in Indonesia, but you get what I mean. As the long June holiday is approaching, what plans do you have in mind? Traveling? Volunteering? Exploring new hobbies? Whatever it is, I hope you have something more exciting planned than turning into a couch potato or being absorbed into your smartphone. If you are a rising senior (going into Grade 12 / Year 13)…  You might want to start gearing up towards the application season. This includes finalizing your college list, making note of all application deadlines, drafting your resume, and thinking about the college essay prompts. You can also arrange college visits to convince yourself on where to apply. Otherwise, talking to alumni or existing students from colleges in your list will help too. These days, social media make networking even easier than ever. This is important as starting early could work wonders and be a game changer for your college applications. Nevertheless, your penultimate high school summer holiday doesn't have to be stressful. All these can be done while you're on a beach, for example. After all, you've worked hard the entire school year, and you deserve to unwind. If you are a rising junior (going into Grade 11 / Year 12)… You should find productive activities that reinforce your core interests and goals. If you're into animal kingdom, for example, try checking out volunteering / research programs at Cikananga Wildlife Center in the southern of Sukabumi. You can also be imaginative and start a charity project for social causes you're most concerned with, e.g. gather teens to collect trash on our beautiful beaches could increase community awareness and help Jokowi with his 'revolusi mental' mission. Whatever you do, make sure that you're passionate about it and it is an extension of your personal interests. In addition to extracurricular activities, keep in mind that you should start preparing for the standardized tests, i.e. TOEFL/IELTS and SAT/ACT. It will be good to try-out those tests and see which one fits your abilities best, after which you can devise a study plan that works for you. If you are a rising sophomore (going into Grade 10 / Year 11)… You have quite a bit of time to prepare for your college applications. Therefore, spend your holiday with activities that will engage you. You can enroll in a study abroad program or take summer classes at a college of your dreams. This is good to give you an idea about how the pool of applicants looks like. More importantly, you get to experience the campus life at your dream school, understand the opportunities they offer, and make connections with existing students and faculty members. Other than that, you can also explore getting a paid or unpaid internship at local startups. Ask your brothers or sisters or uncles if they know some companies that will hire high school students for a summer internship (we do!). Or, you can just call or email them yourself. Train your networking skills and be creative! The whole experience will give you a taste of not only how real startup works, but also how real world operates. In addition, don't be shy to create your own business if you have an awesome idea. Finally, you can write a blog about all your invaluable experiences and create an online presence. This is an asset for you to showcase your passions, potentials, and personalities to admission officers. Maintain the blog and you will have a great online presence by the time you complete your college applications two years from now. Have a great summer!