What Should I Do This Summer?

by Hannah French

HELP!

I’M PANICKING!

WHAT SHOULD I DO THIS SUMMER?

It’s a super common question (maybe more so in college than in high school): “what are you doing this summer?” It’s expected that we all have trendy internships, awe-inducing study-abroad, or work-heavy plans for our three months of summer vacation. One of the things I dislike about the question “what are you doing this summer” is that it places an unfair emphasis on the word “doing.” It makes the action of doing something important and even pretentious, as if to be considered “doing” something you must have scheduled all of your time for something very cool or very pragmatic--either traveling and learning or working all summer to earn money.

I want you to know it doesn’t have to be like that. Summer can be whatever you choose to make it, and even if you end up watching Netflix the whole time, that’s still “doing something,” and hey, you’ll, at least, be well rested and up to speed for the school year. So, what should you do this summer?

1.     You could spend a summer with a program, camp, etc.

This summer I will be heading to a University of Michigan spring-term program called New England Literature Program, in the mountains of New England. For six weeks I will be living with thirty professors and students without any sort of technology--hiking, reading, and writing. It’s the sort of offbeat experience that everyone predicts to be life changing. Your program or camp does not have to be life changing. It could be anything, of any duration. Just pick something that you’re interested in, sounds fun, or stretches your boundaries.

2.     You could take summer classes.

A lot of students, at least here at the University of Michigan, stay in Ann Arbor over the summer to fulfill some extra requirements for their graduation. It’s not a bad way to spend the summer; without the stress of the school year, taking classes can actually be pretty relaxing. And hey, you can do your homework outside! High school students, this isn’t a bad way to earn yourself some college credit.

3.     You could dive into a project you’ve always wanted to explore.

I once spent an entire summer basically indoors because I was writing my first novel. It was something I’d always wanted to do but never had the time to before. Years later, I can say it’s something I’ve finished. Maybe it’s not the prettiest of somethings, but it is something I’d always wanted to do. A project like this makes for a very entrepreneurial summer. It’s not explicitly something you’re “doing” this summer because it’s not official. But if it helps you explore your passions or grow as a person, who cares?

4.     You could spend more time with your family and friends.

This was my entire summer after I graduated from high school. I was constantly running around town with my best friends, soaking up the best of the sun and the summertime activities before we all went our separate ways. Nothing makes for a more relaxing summer, or warmer memories, than catching up on quality time with people you love, especially if you haven’t been able to be with them as much during the year as you would’ve liked.

5.     You could travel.

I was recently offered an internship at a virtual reality lab in Lisbon, Portugal. While virtual reality is totally out of my field (and I mean totally; sometimes I can’t even get the TV to work), and I don’t speak a word of Portuguese, I am taking the internship simply because it is not an experience that should be passed up. These kinds of things are out there—volunteering abroad, travel and sight-seeing programs, internships. Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, though, or even abroad. Cheap plane tickets exist to lesser-known places. Go somewhere rugged and off the beaten track. Or, go old school. Gather a crew to go on a road trip with and split the gas. You can plot a very cool route with Google maps, and find cheap places to stay, such as in-stays, air b&b’s, boathouses, or if you’re really feeling it, sleep in the van. Those over 21 may be interested in exploring the possibility of an RV.

Long story short, no matter what you “do” this summer, know that there is no such thing as a summer wasted, as long as you enjoy it.