Why I’m Happy I Always Did Summer School in High School
I know, summer school sounds like a total drag.
Those three blissful months before the new school year begins are your time to relax, sleep in, hang with friends and catch up on Netflix. Beyond your required summer reading lists, you like to have as little responsibility as possible. But what if I told you I actually not only enjoyed, but chose to go to summer school each year?
I know it sounds crazy, but as an overachieving Aries gal, I always liked being at the top of my class, and early on I discovered the best way to stay on my A-game all year was to be educationally stimulated at all times.
It all started the summer before my freshman year of high school. I had previously gone to a very small and competitive private school where I was up against some of the smartest students I've ever met—and even though I knew the public high school I was going to attend in the fall would be much larger and less competitive, I still wanted to be ahead of the academic curve so I could have some breathing room to fit in socially.
I knew I was about to be thrown into a school where people had friendships established since elementary school, so fitting in and making friends was a top priority. A science nerd at heart, I decided to take Biology Honors the summer before my freshman year (so I could go straight into Chemistry Honors as a freshman, even though it's typically a sophomore or junior class). This way, I'd be able to take five years of science in school.
Let me tell you, it was an amazing way to make friends prior to the first official day of school. I quickly established new friendships in my summer school class, which ultimately got me invited to after-school events like the beach or pool, where I got to meet other students my age. Suddenly, the scary thought of having to make new friends in the fall no longer existed because I already had a group, thanks to the summer. This gave me invaluable confidence prior to starting school.
Another major perk? The classes tend to be much easier. Because you have to cover the same amount of content in a fraction of the time, the classes overall tend to be a bit simpler, and because it's the summer, teachers, too, tend to have a more relaxed vibe about class. That first year I took science, but after that, I took honors classes I didn't enjoy quite as much, just so I could get them out of the way. Summer school days are short, too, so you're done basically by lunchtime, giving you a few hours everyday to hang with friends before doing your homework.
Doing summer school also afforded me the ability to take awesome extra classes like European History AP (EHAP!), marine biology AP (a favorite) and Environmental Science AP (Envi Sci another favorite!) that I otherwise wouldn't have had the time in my schedule to accommodate. And even though getting up early every day for summer school was a bit of a drag, it kept me in my school routine year 'round so I never had to come back to the harsh reality of a school schedule after a lazy summer.
Looking back, I truly believed summer school taught me discipline and helped me get ahead in high school, and I absolutely recommend that everyone take a class over the summer to keep their mind stimulated.
Speaking of summer, click HERE to learn how to protect your hair color from getting fried in the sun!