Summer Fun Can Lead to Academic Success

We all look forward to summer vacation for relaxation and rejuvenation. In addition to being a break between semesters, however, summer also offers an opportunity to get ahead on next year's academic success by choosing activities that will give you an edge. There are four types of activities that have helped other students.

Build good keyboarding skills. Keyboarding, known in the old days as typing, is no longer just for people bound for clerical jobs. Most English composition teachers, along with other college professors, no longer accept handwritten papers. If you've relied on the "hunt and peck" system in the past you are going to be severely handicapped in completing homework as your college career progresses. Because computer use is required in careers and jobs at all levels, you'll find yourself locked out if you can't navigate the keyboard expertly. Use the summer to enroll in a course or invest in a software program that you can master at home.

Build your background knowledge. The new concepts that you encounter in your college classes will make sense only when they connect with what you already know. If you remain in town during the summer, investigate what your local area offers. Within an hour drive from me, for example, I can visit a California mission, a nature center, art museums, a science and industry museum, the Museum of Tolerance, historic centers of a number of ethnic groups, theater, dance concerts, and festivals. If you take a vacation, choose activities at your destination that are not only fun, but educational and interesting as well. Find museums near you at http://www.MuseumNetwork.com

Find activities that are fun for you. Although we all long for time off for fun, many of us just don't know what we enjoy or how to have fun. Summer gives time to explore new activities to determine what you enjoy. Try an activity that's new for you. Perhaps you've never been bowling, ice skating, rock climbing, swimming, camping, or scavenging. If you're stuck for an idea, comb the calendar section of your Sunday newspaper and explore the Internet. When you discover a new source of fun, you'll be able to return to it for relief from the stresses of the academic semester next school year. Subscribe to a newsletter called 100 Days of Summer at http://www.summerfun.about.com/tips.htm

Volunteer to do good works in your community. One of the best ways to feel instantly good about yourself is to do good for others.Contact agencies that need volunteers such as homes for abused and neglected children, senior centers, hospitals, institutes for the blind, or programs for AIDS victims. Sharing your time, skills and energy with others builds your self-esteem and character at the same time that it brings joy to others. To see what volunteer opportunities are available near you, visit http://www.volunteermatch.org

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