Head’s Blog

Dear Students,
 
It’s amazing how quickly the end of the year comes. One moment you are knee deep in all of the ongoing work of a school and the next moment the end of the year is upon you. Our seniors are heading of to a wide array of schools all across this country with some even heading abroad—the University of St. Andrews in Scotland proved particularly popular this year. And you, our returning students are heading out exhausted by exams but also exhilarated at the idea of summer. From my conversations, most of you appear to have a full summer ahead of you.
 
How should you use your time this summer. Here are a few suggestions:
 
1.   Spend time with family—this is probably a given but try to be intentional about this time. Too often we take for granted the people who are closest to us.

2.  Get a job or volunteer. It can be at a camp or the local ice cream shop or something more challenging. Committing to a task teaches all sorts of lessons in responsibility and accountability in ways that school can’t.

3.  Have some down time. Most students are over-scheduled. We know that is a problem at school, but it can also be a problem during the break. So take the time to smell the roses. Boredom can be a wonderful thing—it forces you to look for things to do and to explore things that you might not otherwise have time for.

4.  And along the same lines, spend some time in solitude. Get comfortable with yourself and your own company. Focus on the things that are important to you. Understand what your core values are and what motivates you, what you are passionate about.

5.  Read, read, and read. We have made that easier by setting a whole slew of summer reading books including the all-school reading, Fahrenheit 451. But we also hope that you will go off script and explore other reading lists.

6.  Catch up on your sleep—but do try, every once in a while, to get up before noon. It’s amazing all the wonderful things that can happen between 6 am and noon, and it will please your parents.

7.  Juniors and some sophomores will be visiting college campuses in the quest to find the right school—pay attention to what your gut tells you about the feel of a school and whether it is a good fit. Look at how happy the students are. Think about the programs they offer. Talk over your list of must haves in a college with your parents.

8.  Challenge yourself to try something new or different whether that means immersing yourself in another culture or making some new friends or taking a summer course on a completely new subject.

9.  Set yourself goals for the coming year and think about how you can accomplish them.

10. Most of all enjoy this time; summer holidays should be fun.


Take care and I will see you all next fall.