05 Jun Road Map for June: Freshmen
As this strange and difficult school year wraps up, I hope you are able to take a meaningful break. Once you’ve had some time to relax and refresh, I recommend you spend some time reflecting on your first year of high school and what you were able to accomplish, and then creating a set of goals for the summer and for 10th grade.
Summer is an opportunity to explore, so think about things you’ve wished you had time for during the school year: to learn to speak a new language, code or play an instrument; make art or do crafts; promote a cause you care about; plant something; learn to find the constellations or identify bird species; practice your favorite sport; write a letter, send a card or make a photo book for family or friends you can’t be with right now. Then come up with a plan to make it happen—don’t let the whole summer go by without making some progress.
With respect to college, my best advice for using the summer is to do something constructive and be prepared for a strong fall. The academic expectations for next year will probably be higher than they were this year; if you need to improve your executive functioning or study skills, get support this summer so you can start next year well-prepared to do your best work.