Almost Summer: Summer, where have you been?
Playlist and Article by: Shannon Alfonso
With the 2023-2024 school year coming to a close, we can finally get a taste of summer in the last month of school. If you are a freshman, you may be thinking about sophomore year and your high school years after that, which will simmer at the back of your mind. If you are a sophomore you may be thinking about junior year, piling your schedule high with important AP classes, and preparing for SATs. If you are a junior you may be thinking about senior year, compiling a list of colleges, scheduling university tours, or doing a summer internship. And if you are already a senior, you may be thinking of traveling away from home, living on campus, and more adventures that you will embark on (Congratulations to the Class of 2024!) I want each and every one of you to just take the time to breathe, and forget all of these thoughts about school. Summer should be a time of relaxation, reflection, but also productivity. Here are some tips that can achieve this:
1. Finish off the school year strong and don’t give up
The most important thing in school is to finish your semester/ school year strong. A lot of students lose motivation because there is only one month left or are burnt out by AP exams, final projects, and more. However, the last semester is just as important as the beginning and middle of the school year. Even if this year wasn’t the best for you, try to put in the effort and finish strong. Don’t procrastinate and turn all of your assignments in. Study with meaning and over extensive periods of time, rather than cramming in just one night. Break out of your lazy habits and become productive, it is never too late! Do this and you will easily see improvement in your grades and a change on your outlook of the school year.
2. Forget about your responsibilities for the future, be in the moment.
Thinking about all of the work or responsibilities that we’ll have in the future is not worth stressing about. Take it step by step and enjoy where you are at the moment. Forget your summer assignments, neglect worrying about your AP exam scores and other things that you need to worry about in the future. Instead of focusing on schoolwork, take the time to reflect on the past school year and yourself ( maybe do some mindfulness journaling or relaxation if that’s your cup of tea). After you have come to closure and set a plan for how you are going to enter the upcoming school year, you are free to do whatever you wish. Prioritize doing things you are passionate about! This could be simply reading a book, watching a movie, drawing, surfing the internet, whatever to your heart’s desire (don’t waste the whole summer on this though!).
3. Thank your teachers before school is out!
One thing that students forget to do before they get out of school is to thank their teachers and wish them a good summer. I know it’s scary to talk to adults and communicate with them, but it’s important to let them know the impact they have made in your life. If you dislike a teacher or they are just unlikable, still show that you appreciate them, an act of kindness can go far and touch people’s hearts, even those who you might not expect. In the event that you do have a favorite teacher, go out of your way and get them a gift or send them an email expressing gratitude. They will most likely appreciate it and most students don’t do this, which sets you apart from others!
4. Balance enjoyment with work
During the summer, it is important to have fun, but remember to also be productive. This could mean getting a part-time job, babysitting, being creative and joining organizations — the list is endless. Just make sure that you are keeping yourself occupied and most of all learning new things. You may ask yourself: but it’s summer, why do I have to do work? Being productive keeps the mind sharp, while developing skills that extend far beyond academics. It allows for personal growth, maintaining knowledge, and not being overwhelmed by assignments during the first few weeks of school. Keeping your mind active will put you in the right mindset when you get back to the grind in September, mitigating any attitudes of procrastination. Even though learning may seem like a chore, it doesn’t have to be. Curling up with your favorite book and writing poems can be substitutes to reading textbooks and taking notes, which is important because you can improve your writing skills and reading skills in the process!
5. Manifest what the summer is going to look like for you — only the positives!
We have this idealized vision of summer which can sometimes be overwhelming rather than relaxing. It is important to note the positives such as going on a vacation, meeting family members, and more. The easier route would be to think about the negatives, but that will only cause more stress and place unnecessary fear on things that could never happen. Therefore, I have created a Pinterest board, which is meant to capture the idealization of a perfect summer, for manifestation purposes. Add any pins that are related to summer, that is not inappropriate or suggestive! Everyone is welcome to join!
Here is the link: https://pin.it/3HS28BatW
My Playlist
I created this playlist for the purpose of creating a sense of hope for teens, especially in the home stretch of the 2023-2024 school year. I want to let them know the importance of optimism and how they can have a perfect, well rounded summer! I have added songs that are related to summer to motivate them and allow them to perform their best during this last month of school.
Listen here! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4RKBZgvLKoTktsmAqKIxNA?si=K6ZE5xKkRVujDm9sEii7jA&pi=u--VEwOPhXSTqk
