Take a break: Post-Senior Summer

When you’re in high school your summers are spent taking classes, going to camps and programs, holding jobs, traveling on community service trips, and just generally “boosting the resume”

But once senior year passes, your summer plans might come to a screeching halt. You’ve aged out of the high school programs, but you’re also too young for most jobs and internships meant for college kids.
What to do?

Your post-senior summer is, really, your only free summer. So make the most of it.

So here are 10 things you should do with that precious, no responsibility summer.

1.     Make memories with your home friends

If you’re anything like me you were itching to get out of your hometown. But by the end of high school graduation goggles were in full effect.
As sad as it is, people grow and change, and by the end of freshman year you’re not going to be best friends with all of your best friends with high school. So appreciate what you have now, and make some memories. Go on a day-trip. Have a beach-week. Go to the same restaurant the five of you always go to a million times this summer. Have a nice summer to remember with your friends.

2.     Pre Pack and Purge

At the end of the summer you’re going to have to pack up all of your belongings for a few months and head off to school. Which means you’re going to have to make some deep cuts into your stuff.
I highly recommend looking through your closet and donating the clothes you don’t really want to bring to school or haven’t warn in at least a year. A closet purge feels good (and makes room for new stuff).
If you’re like me, you have way more clothing than you could ever fit into a dorm room. If you’re going to have trouble making cuts, inventory your closet and see what you actually wear.
No seriously… I have an inventory of my closet that I use to keep track of what I wear (and what is missing).

(Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up)

3.     Check out the medical stuff

Your college has probably sent you a nice long list of vaccinations you are required to have. Make sure to get all of those taken care of. Additionally, make sure that you’re prepared for any medical issue. Stock up on your prescriptions (including the “take as needed” ones like that inhaler you never use). Make sure you have enough contact lenses to last you the semester (or that your glasses are up to date and you have a spare pair).
If your wisdom teeth are going to be a problem, see if you can get the surgery this summer while you’re free. You do not want to have to have them emergency extracted while you’re away at school.

4.     Prepare to communicate

Before you leave for college make sure you have an account on Skype. Also have a Gmail with your name as the username instead of a “screenname.” Take your Facebook off of the “super private” mode you put it into during pre-college paranoia. You’re about to have 500 prom pictures; everyone who’s stalking you will see you at your best.

5.     Learn those life skills

Namely, Laundry and a bit of cooking. Learn how to do real person laundry. Learn what all of those labels mean. Learn that bleaching is a waste of time (seriously, just but your whites in with your colors and wash on cold). Learn how to iron a shirt properly (even though you’ll never actually use that iron). Ladies, learn to wash your bras and other delicates in a crappy dorm washer (never have I ever dry cleaned something in college… whoops).
Learn at least a few basic cooking skills (that are microwave ready). Steam some veggies, cook some chicken, and make some pasta.
Also learn how to make at least 1 dessert, you will have to contribute to a bakesale at some point, be prepared.
Also (and this doesn’t apply to everyone) conquer your fear of the phone. There will be a time where your life will be much easier because you were able to effectively talk to an adult on the phone. Trust me, the day my car got towed what was potentially a 2 hour ordeal became a 20 minute ordeal (and a 15 minute trek) because I made some calls.

6.     Make some money

Maybe you’ll take on a nannying gig, or get hired at that clothing store that only hires 18+ staff. Waitressing, lifeguarding, counselor-ing- just get a little bit of money in the bank to give you some freedom at school, you’ll be glad you have it later.

7.     Get a card

If you don’t already have a bank account, start one. Having a debit card in college goes from a luxury to a necessity. Keeping track of your account will teach you some life lessons about money as well.

8.     Get fit

The Freshman 15 can go from a myth to your reality if you’re not careful. Make sure to find at least one type of exercise that suits you (running, yoga, weights, swimming, tennis) over the summer so you can keep it up at school.

9.     Finish an entire series

You’ve got some time on your hands, so use it. Pick up a book series you haven’t had time to read and finish the whole thing. Start watching Arrested Development already. Cherish this free time and use it well.

10. Get “that” movie on DVD

Everyone has that one movie that makes them smile no matter how many times they watch it. Get a copy of this movie on DVD for bad days in college. Even better, if it’s a wee bit obscure you can share it with your friends who haven’t had the privilege of seeing it yet and have a fun night in.

Post-Senior summer is the only summer where you’re not expected to be building a resume. Get ready for college, have some fun, and make new memories while relishing this last real break.