Productive Ways For High Schoolers to Spend Their Spring Break
Scheduled breaks in the academic calendar can mean more than sleeping in and lounging on the couch. For students who are interested in utilizing their spring break to its fullest potential, we have a few suggestions to help them get started!
Wondering What to do For Spring Break? We’ve Got it Covered!
Spring break is a well known time for students to relax, get outside, and in some cases, take a vacation. But, a week off from school can also provide the perfect time for students to dive into their interests or explore something new. The good news: it doesn’t have to be either or! There are ways to make spring break productive, while still ensuring students can recharge their batteries.
Below we highlight a handful of opportunities high schoolers can explore during their spring break (or any academic break) that will help them learn more about themselves and the world around them.
Productive Doesn’t Have to Mean Boring
First, let’s start off by defining what we mean by “productive.” Although for many students, the word can conjure images of chores, homework, and hours of labor, that isn’t the form of productive we’re talking about. Productivity is not just about filling your schedule with boring, resume-building activities either. There are a number of ways to be productive while still having fun, expanding your mind, and supporting future you!
Sign Up For A Spring Break Program
Like summer camps, there are many suitable spring break programs for high school students. When finding the one that is the right fit, consider cost, duration of the program, timeline, and what the program is about. From academic programs to service work, or special interests, there are many options available. Keep in mind that you will need to sign up for these programs in advance, so plan early and keep an eye out for scholarship opportunities. In addition to in-person programs, there is a vast library of short, online courses available that may fit your student better!
Schedule College Campus Visits
Spring break is a great time to visit colleges and universities your student may be considering. If you’re not planning to visit in person, e-tours allow prospective students to check out the campus virtually as well! If you have already visited, there are still steps students can take to prepare for college during their break. They can use this time to get ahead on scholarship research, catch up on SAT/ACT prep, or get started on a college application timeline. Consider tackling these with a friend to make it more enjoyable and provide incentives for each task!
Engage in Service Work
Not only is volunteering in the community important, it also looks good on college applications. Spending time doing service work signals to recruiters that students are invested in their community and care about the greater good. Furthermore, giving back to causes that are personal to them, allows students to make connections and start thinking about the role they can play in keeping communities strong. Whether they are interested in a career in politics, social services, or community planning, engaging in service work is always a productive use of time!
Job Shadow or Intern
Another way for students to spend spring break is through job shadowing or interning in a field they are interested in knowing more about. This doesn’t have to be a formal program either. It is easy to reach out to family-friends, business owners, or members of the community and ask to assist them in their job for the day, or observe how the role works.
As students shadow, not only can they get a feel for the work, they can ask questions, including: How did you get into this line of work? How has the field changed since you’ve been a part of it? What would you advise someone interested in this work to focus on to get ahead? Is there anything you know now that you wish you had known earlier?
Learn Skills For Life
You don’t have to travel somewhere to make spring break productive. Students can learn valuable life skills from inside their home. Want to learn how to change a tire? Cook nutritious and simple meals? Open a checking and savings account? Do laundry? These are all skills that can be taught by a family member, mentor, coach, or even through online videos. Create a list of achievable tasks and see if you can get one checked off every day of spring break!
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Our mission at Clackamas Middle College is to help students feel confident and prepared
for college and life beyond. Contact us today to learn more about our approach to college preparedness and how we create an environment where students are excited to learn!