A Deep Dive: Summer’s The Time to Develop Your Sport, Art, Foreign Language or Other Favorite Thing

Lily Share ‘21, Health & Leisure Editor

One of the best things about summer is the extra amount of spare time. During the school year, homework, tests, and projects can make it seem almost impossible to have a minute to spend on something just for fun. Rather than spend the summer doing nothing, use the opportunity to further develop your sport, artistic talents, or foreign language.

Doing what you enjoy during the summer and developing a skill will not only be fun and mentally stimulating, it will actually improve your chances in the college admission process. Having a well-rounded class is very important for selective colleges. Selective colleges like to admit students who have gone beyond their high school’s offerings in whatever interests them, like science, language, or art.

It’s important to pick an activity that you enjoy and are particularly passionate about. Spending the summer doing something productive that you love actually improves mental health and contributes to a more relaxed mind. If you’re unsure of what skill you want to strengthen, try a plethora of things until you decide what’s right for you. Remember to be diligent and practice for a couple hours each week.

Playing a sport like tennis is a great option, because you can devote a lot of hours to it during the summer and practice by playing with friends. Learning a foreign language such as Italian or Chinese is also a smart choice since language should be practiced daily. If you are traveling anywhere this summer, try studying the language before you go and then practice conversing once you’re there. Practicing an instrument such as piano, working on an art form like photography, or anything else you can think of, will provide you with the feeling of accomplishment and create an interesting, exciting summer.