Definition of summer for a high school student:
(n) Summer: A time to kick back, hang with friends and don’t even think about opening a text book
Synonyms: Y.O.L.O, free-time, lazy days, pool-weather

Definition of summer for the parents of a high school student:
(n) Summer: Time to work on those ACT practice tests, immediately start working on your summer homework, and start looking for that summer job
Synonyms: work-time, busy days, future-planning

You may be wondering what sitting by the pool has to do with applying to colleges. Well, summer is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and start on those essays! Students, before you roll your eyes and click away from this blog, hear me out. Parents, please try not to gloat.

Summer is not just for lollygagging and sleeping the days away. It’s the calm before the storm. You might as well get some of your heavy lifting finished before the storm hits. Once autumn comes there are many new senior privileges, rigorous courses and responsibilities and you will regret not having written those essays during the summer.

My summer plans consist of the following:
Relax
Write this blog
Relax
Think of the colleges I am applying to and organize what I need such as tests and paperwork
Relax
Resent my teachers for my summer homework
Relax
Visit a few more colleges
Come August, actually apply to these colleges
And most important, relax

Besides my plan of having a book in one hand and an iced tea in the other, I will explore a common college application and write rough drafts of my essays. I’m also going to receive my ACT scores, which I completed in early June, take the SAT subject tests, and await my senior year. Being proactive now will give me more time in the future to enjoy things like Senior Skip Day and the Senior All Night Party instead of actually pulling an all-nighter with an energy drink and an empty Word Document working on my college essay due the next morning.

Reply to this post and tell me what your plans are to get ready for your senior year!