Summer is usually meant for fun and games and sun tanning, but not the last summer before senior year. This summer is important. There are a few things you need to do to prepare you for your final year in high school. Make sure you use the summer productively to ease the stress. Here are some helpful tips for you:

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How to Spend Your Last Summer in High School

1. Read. Experts agree that reading during your summers helps to keep your mind engaged. If you will be in an advanced English class, you probably have assigned reading to do anyway. Get it done early. Don’t wait until the last few days before your senior year begins to ingest 584 pages of The Book Thief.
2. Stay in shape. If you’re an athlete, you’ll want to make sure you stay in shape over the summer. When those two-a-day practices begin for volleyball and football you will be thankful you did (and so will your coaches)!
3. Earn some money. But not too much. Earning more than $6,000 during the summer can have painful consequences if you qualify for financial aid.
4. Volunteer. Volunteerism goes a long way on your college application and also gives you a boost during your first real job search when you have little to no actual job experience.
5. Make a list of teachers you want to ask for letters of recommendations. You will need letters of recommendations for scholarship and entrance applications. In larger schools, it’s best to ask your junior year teachers since they had a full year to get to know you, your study habits and your personality. Prepare a brag sheet for them by listing out all your academic and extra-curricular achievements, and volunteer activities so they can write a thorough letter for you.
6. Start narrowing down your choices for your secondary education. Your research on different schools should have been completed prior to this. Now is the time to review the research and decide which campuses you actually want to visit and which schools you want to apply to during your senior year. 
7. Search for scholarship opportunities. Searching for relevant scholarships is a daunting task. Begin your search early to make the job less overwhelming when you are really busy during your senior year.
8. Relax. If you manage your time well, you’ll still have time to relax before all the hustle and bustle of your senior year begins. This is the best time to spend with your family and eat as many of your mom’s home cooked meals as possible. Get your fill of all your favorite hometown activities. This doesn’t mean you can spend 16 hours a day on the couch playing video games as a form of relaxation. There are 168 hours in each week, use your time wisely. Find a balance between getting stuff done and chilling out.

The post, How to Spend Your Last Summer in High School, first appeared on Ata-Girl Photography Co.’s website and blog. Please feel free to comment here, or share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. Please email me if you have any questions about this article or want to share a neat idea for a future blog post with me.