In many area schools, spring break starts today! You’re probably planning to go home and crash this weekend, but for the next two weeks you will have a lot of time on your hands. Put it to good use by following a few of these suggestions, and you can relax knowing you’ve gotten a head start on a few important tasks.
Investigate career options. Thinking ahead to possible college majors is a smart thing to do, but what will you do with that degree once you’re out there in “the real world”? Spend a week or two shadowing someone in your potential field, and you can get a better idea of your future career path.
Practice life skills. Many students face a surprise once they move away to college. Cooking meals, managing money, and paying bills is harder than it sounds! Spend some of your spring break preparing for adulthood, by learning to cook, reviewing bills with a parent, learning how to balance a checkbook, and so on.
Work on your exam skills. When you’re burdened with homework already, it’s hard to budget time for learning exam skills. Take this time to prepare for the ACT or SAT tests.
Grab some extra hours at work. Tell your employer that spring break is coming up, and ask for extra hours. You can save a little extra money for college expenses, a car, or just those new sneakers you’ve had your eye on.
Volunteer. Volunteer work can be fun and personally rewarding. It also looks great on your resume, and might give you topic ideas for college entrance exams.
Get ahead. If you have some big year-end projects or papers coming up, why wait until school is back in session? Get a head start on that work now, and the end of your school year won’t be so stressful.
Research scholarships. There are thousands of private scholarships available, but applying for them can be time-consuming. Use part of your spring break to write essays and mail off applications. It could pay off big-time in the future.
Tour prospective colleges. Check the spring break dates for your top-choice colleges, and tour the ones that are not taking break at the same time. You want to see the campus when it’s bustling with activity, and perhaps sit in on a few classes.
Make a timeline for your college applications. Each school might have a different deadline, plus you should remember to file your FAFSA and scholarship applications on time. Use a calendar to create an application deadline, including all of the universities that interest you. Don’t forget other important dates, like the deadline to apply for student housing.