an essay about summer school

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Essay on Summer Season: 100, 250, and 450 Words for School Students

• Updated on  
• Feb 27, 2024

Summer Season is a time of joy, long vacations, and excitement. This most-awaited warm season brings with it physical and emotional comfort for everyone. Tropical and sub-tropical countries like India, Mexico, Thailand, etc. experience warm weather with long days and clear skies. 

During the summer season, students are asked to write an essay on summer season. Such topics require you to highlight your personal experiences of how you spent your summer season. You can talk about the places you visited, skills or hobbies you learned, the food you ate, etc. You must know that an essay on summer season is academic writing, where your teacher will evaluate your writing skills based on your ability to express your thoughts, ideas and experiences creatively. On this page, we will be providing you with some samples of essay on summer season in 100, 200, and 300 words.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Summer Season in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Summer Season in 250 Words
• 3.1 Trips in Summer Season
• 3.2 New Hobbies to Learn
• 3.3 Benefits of Summer Season

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

Essay on Summer Season in 100 Words

‘This summer season, I visited my maternal grandmother’s house. In Hindi, me and my sister call her ‘nani’ —every summer season we pay our visit to her and enjoy the natural beauty of the village. Everything about my grandmother’s home and village excites me. From the morning echoes to the evening breeze, days are filled with excitement and cherished memories. 

One of the best things I liked about the hot summer season was eating large watermelons with the entire family. Our grandfather used to buy us watermelons, which my mother served to all of us. I plan to visit my grandmother’s house every summer season.’

Also Read: Essay on Euthanasia in 100, 200 and 300 Words

Essay on Summer Season in 250 Words

The summer season is the time of the year when we get time off work, study, school, and our daily routine. It is a time to enjoy, learn new hobbies, build interest, and focus on goals. This summer season I visited a hill station called Dharamshala in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This city is known for two things; the home of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and its scenic beauty. 

Summer seasons are a break from our daily school and work routine. It allows us to cast aside the regular work schedule and spend some quality time with our loved ones. This break from routine is crucial for mental and emotional well-being, providing a chance to recharge and return with renewed energy.

The summer season is a great opportunity to explore new places and learn about new cultures. From scenic road trips to cold breezes on the beach, the summer season offers the ideal backdrop for exploration. 

We can indulge in recreational activities and hobbies that we are not able to focus on due to daily life hustle. The summer season can also encourage us to indulge in outdoor activities, as the warm weather and longer days are good for our physical and mental health. 

Summer season can be considered a season of joy, exploration, and rejuvenation. It offers a respite from the demands of daily life, allowing us to reconnect with ourselves, our families, and the world around us.

Also Read: Essay on Basant Panchami in English

Essay on Summer Season in 450 Words

The summer season holds an important place in our lives as it allows us to reconnect with ourselves and the people around us. In tropical and subtropical countries like India, the summer season lasts for around 2 months, from May to June. This is the hottest time of the year as the sun is vertically overhead on the Tropic of Cancer, the imaginary line 23.5 degrees north. 

Summer vacation provides relief from daily school and work life and an opportunity to spend quality time with our friends and family. During these hot summer months, a lot of people visit hill stations, beaches, their relatives, and other popular tourist places.’

Trips in Summer Season

Everybody loves traveling. What else can be the best time than the summer season to visit the ice-capped Himalayas or the backwaters of Kerala, there are plenty of places to visit. The summer season is important for both children and adults. Children wait all year long for the summer season, as they want to enjoy life, play outdoors, and eat ice creams and fruits. 

During the summer season, schools also organize trips, where students travel to cold places and enjoy fun activities like mountain climbing, hiking, trekking, etc. Some of the popular summer trip destinations are:

• Mahabaleshwar

New Hobbies to Learn

‘Learning new hobbies and indulging in creative activities is a great way to spend your summer season. A lot of parents encourage their children to learn new hobbies, like joining music lessons, art classes, football and cricket coaching, etc. Practicing new hobbies during the summer season can greatly improve our skills and we can stand out from the crowd. Here are some fun-loving hobbies to learn during the summer season.’

• Yoga and meditation
• Outdoor activities
• Photography 
• Music Lessons
• Dance classes
• Art Classes
• Piano lessons

Benefits of Summer Season

‘Summer season is not just about long trips and new hobbies. There are many benefits of the summer season. Summer season provides a break from the routine and allows individuals to relax, unwind, and recharge. We can explore new places with our friends and family, allowing us to spend quality time with our loved ones. Traveling during the summer season can expose us to different perspectives and broaden our horizons.

We can enhance our knowledge and creativity by visiting educational trips, workshops, or cultural experiences. The combination of relaxation, new experiences, and increased social interactions can positively impact mental health. The long summer season can result in increased productivity and prevent burnout.

Summer season is an important time of year for all the reasons mentioned above; relief from our daily schedule, quality time with family and friends, focus on our goals, learning new hobbies, etc.’

Also Read: Essay on Abortion in English for School Students

Ans: The summer season is the time of the year when we get time off work, study, school, and our daily routine. It is a time to enjoy, learn new hobbies, build interest, and focus on goals. This summer season I visited a hill station called Dharamshala in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This city is known for two things; the home of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and its scenic beauty.

Ans: Writing an essay on summer season is a great way to express your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in creative and imaginative ways. It can also serve as a way to communicate your thoughts with the audience.

Ans: Understanding the topic and setting your tone accordingly is the first step when writing an essay. Your audience will better understand and connect with your essay if the tone in your writing is understandable to them. To support your arguments, provide appropriate evidence and reasons. Checking for grammatical errors is also important. Once the final draft is complete, go through the entire essay and read it aloud.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Summer School or University

Are you wondering how to write a personal statement for Summer School or University? Summer Boarding Courses HQ asked our fellow friends over at Dukes Education company,  Oxbridge Applications  for some personal statement advice!

How to write a personal statement for Summer School or University

So you want to know what things to write in a personal statement. Excellent! Oxbridge Applications have some brilliant advice on how you can get started if you want to  study in the UK  or elsewhere. They can certainly help with writing a personal statement.

We will show you how to start a personal statement about yourself, what the best personal statements include, what to avoid and how to leave that lasting impression on the tutor. As a result, you will have a really good personal statement in no time!

What is a personal statement?

You can create a personal statement to be an application to a University, college course or Summer School. It showcases your interests, passions and achievements, so that you can convince the establishment reading it to accept you onto their course.

When it comes to writing a personal statement, this is your chance to the reader a chance to meet the real you! You may be a little nervous about how to write a personal statement. Do not worry; we are going to guide you step by step.

How to start a personal statement, before you even start typing!

If you’re thinking about how to begin a personal statement, and are a little nervous about it, ask yourself this:

Why do I want to be a part of this course?

What are my strengths and passions?

Why should I be accepted?

Your personal statement application should demonstrate your interest in the course, showcase what you can bring to the University, college or Summer School, and convince the admissions tutors to offer you a place.

Express yourself with the limited words you have

You have limited space to express yourself, so every sentence in your personal statement counts. Bear in mind that you can only write one personal statement for all your choices if you are applying to University, so make sure that you are tailoring your statement as much as possible to each of the courses you are applying for.

Without this thoughtful approach, the reader might doubt your commitment to their course.

One thing’s for certain: you won’t come up with a polished personal statement overnight. It will take many drafts, a lot of editing and a few late-night flashes of inspiration. Yet, it will all be worth it when those Summer School or University offers start rolling in! To help you get started, we’ve got a few useful tips to point you in the right direction.

How do you start, once you’re ready to type?

Wondering how to write personal statements from the start? There are about a million ways to start a personal statement, and there is no one correct way to begin!

Some people start with a quote which encapsulates their interest. Others start with an anecdote that explains where their curiosity for their subject stems from.

Your opening should set the tone for the rest of the personal statement, show your enthusiasm and interest in your subject and introduce the admissions tutor to your personality. Don’t feel like you need to pretend to be someone else in your personal statement; just make sure you are your academic self!

Speak as you would to your headteacher; clearly, maturely, but retaining a sense of who you are.

What should you include in a personal statement?

What is in a personal statement? Although it’s called a personal statement, the idea is not just to give the school a short history of your life to date. You need to be expressing your academic self, your interest in the subject that you are applying for and your achievements in that area. Brainstorm your ideas below with the following pointers, so you can begin to see what to write in a personal statement:

Subject-related work experience

What have you done so far that is connected to the subject and course you are applying for? Maybe you have studied something particular in school, or have worked hard on a project in your spare time. Have you volunteered somewhere to add to your experience? Have you worked with and along someone who has experience and expertise in the subject you are applying for?

Courses or lectures you attended which have advanced your knowledge

What courses or lectures have you attended which have advanced your understanding and skills in the subject you are applying for? What did you study particularly? Is there anything that you have learned, which has improved your knowledge and understanding?

Relevant books or articles that you have read

What have you been reading that has made you even more enthusiastic and eager to learn more about the subject you are applying for? What did you learn by reading these books and articles? Are there particular authors you have enjoyed reading lately, that are making an impact on you?

Take your English to the next level!

Academic awards.

If you have won an academic award, and been recognised for your skills and achievements, make sure to mention them! Have you received any certificates or recognition? If so, what was the award?

Extra-curricular activities

You should mention your extra-curricular achievements as well, but the amount of space that you dedicate to this section should depend on the university or summer course to which you are applying. If you are applying to Oxford or Cambridge , you should keep your extra-curricular activities to a minimum, as these universities are focused primarily on your academic achievements.

How do you finish a personal statement?

Do you need help writing a personal statement closing paragraph? Almost as hard as starting is finishing your University or Summer Program personal statement!

Your final paragraph doesn’t have to be long – just enough to round off your statement and reiterate your interest and dedication to your subject.

Be careful that you don’t come across as too arrogant or self-assured here; it can be easy after almost 4000 characters of blowing your own trumpet, to get a little carried away!

What not to include in a personal statement

Your personal statement is your space to sell your own subject interest. You haven’t got much room, so make sure that you’re not repeating anything that the admissions tutors could find out somewhere else on your application form. This can include listing your qualifications or grades: these go on the form in a different section.

Be positive in your personal statement!

How do you write your personal statement positively?

This is not the place to attempt to explain a lower predicted grade due to a disagreement with a teacher or the fact that you needed to miss school for an extended period due to illness.  If there is something in this vein that you feel the admissions tutors should know, ask the teacher writing your reference, whether he or she could include this in the reference section of your application form.

It’s more appropriate for your teacher to bring this to the admissions tutor’s attention. It means that you will not be wasting space trying to explain yourself. Instead you can just dazzle the course with your interests and achievements!

Our final advice on how to write a personal statement!

It’s a challenge but it’s worth it.

Writing the best personal statement may not be the most exciting activity for you. After days, weeks and even months of drafting and summoning up the motivation to proofread your statement, it can be a challenge. Yet it is absolutely essential!

Proof read again and again

You know that feeling you get when you spot a typo in an article? No matter how insignificant, it lowers your opinion of the content of the piece and the author. Admissions tutors are likely to be sticklers for accuracy, so make sure you get your teachers, friends and parents to proof-read it a couple of times. One tip is to begin with the last sentence and work your way through your personal statement backwards; it keeps you focused on individual sentences and not the full statement.

Good luck with writing the personal statement!

By now you should be very confident with how to write a good personal statement. You now know how to start your personal statement, what to include in it and how to finish it all on a high note! Look on it as a challenge, but also a very important opportunity to talk about a fascinating subject – you!

Do you need more help on writing a personal statement?

For more assistance with writing subject-specific personal statements, and to find out how Oxbridge Applications can help with personal statements, please click  here .

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How to Write an Essay on How You Spent Your Summer Vacation

Last Updated: January 4, 2020

This article was co-authored by Alexander Peterman, MA . Alexander Peterman is a Private Tutor in Florida. He received his MA in Education from the University of Florida in 2017. This article has been viewed 53,699 times.

Writing an essay on how you spent your summer vacation is a classic way of starting a new school year. Think about this essay as an opportunity to tell a story about your summer while reflecting on the experiences you had. Choose a memorable moment you had this summer and start crafting your essay, giving as many details as possible.

Choosing a Topic

• These can also make nice visual aids if you are asked to present your essay.

• A list might be full of things like babysitting, attending a camp, working at a local store, taking a road trip, etc. This type of brainstorming can help you pick major events and other important moments from your summer.

• For example, maybe you spent your summer traveling around Japan. Think of a memorable moment you had while traveling — maybe you walked up a mountain in the pouring rain — and write about this moment, adding lots of details.

• For example, if you're writing about spending time at the beach, your outline could remind you to talk about the sandcastle building contest you entered, the dolphins you saw, and the ice cream you ate every day.
• Details might be what the other sandcastles looked like, how far away the dolphins were, and what kind of toppings were on your ice cream.
• Your outline is just to help you organize your thoughts — it can be written by hand or typed.

Crafting the Essay

• Instead of saying that you worked in a pet store, ate a PB&J sandwich, and walked home every day, talk about more than just your actions. You could talk about which pets are your favorites to work with, how it felt to eat the same sandwich every day, or what you thought about on your walk home.

• Using sensory details like these will help your readers visualize and engage with your writing. These help your audience make your experiences feel real to them, even though they weren't there.

• For example, instead of saying “I went to the beach this summer,” try saying “I spent my summer swimming in the frigid water at Virginia Beach.” The more details you can provide, the more engaged your reader will be.

• Instead of saying “the burger was really good,” you could say, “the burger was juicy and filling.”

• Don't just rely on spellcheck. It will help catch some errors, but it will miss some things, too.
• Ask a parent or other adult to read over your essay too, if you'd like.
• Setting your essay aside for a little while will give you a fresher perspective when you go back to revise it.

Structuring Your Essay

• Make sure your conclusion doesn’t just copy the introduction.

Community Q&A

• Write your essay from the first person point of view, using "I." Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

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• ↑ http://www.citationmachine.net/resources/student-blog
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/personal-essay/
• ↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules-and-tips/tips-for-writing-a-personal-narrative-essay.html
• ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-smock/8-tips-for-dazzling-an-ed_b_5498918.html

About This Article

If you need to write an essay on how you spent your summer vacation, there are simple ways to take your writing to the next level. Choose a moment that stands out to you, like playing at the park with your friends or watching a movie you enjoyed. Think about all the feelings and thoughts you had, and use them to write sensory descriptions that will take the reader on the journey with you. Use your introduction to set the scene and draw your reader in. Then, use each paragraph to explore different aspects of your favorite moment. For example, if you won a video game competition with your friends, you can talk about the rivalry between you, the rounds of the game, and how you celebrated. For more tips from our Education co-author, including how to edit your essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What Students Are Saying About Summer School, Outspoken Athletes and Zoom Mishaps

Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation.

By The Learning Network

Welcome to another roundup of student comments on our writing prompts . This week we asked teenagers if they think summer school is a good solution for students who have fallen behind academically this year; if athletes should speak out on political issues; and if they have experienced any embarrassing Zoom mishaps.

Thank you to all those who joined the conversation from around the world, including teenagers from Leavenworth, Wash ; Los Angeles ; and Rome .

Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.

Is Summer School a Smart Way to Make Up for Learning Lost This School Year?

In “ Summer School Is a Hot Idea Right Now. Could It Work? ” Dana Goldstein and Kate Taylor report on the possibility of extending the school year to offset learning loss from a year of mostly remote schooling.

We asked students if they thought this was a good idea. Most rejected the plan, citing concerns about students’ mental health, teacher burnout and inadequate online education, but some saw it as a way to get extra help for those who need it.

Summer School Is a Great, If Imperfect, Option.

In my opinion, summer school is an excellent solution for students who have fallen behind academically this year. If it were offered, I wouldn’t choose to participate because I don’t need the extra academic support. My academic loss hasn’t been much because my parents have the time and resources to help me with any unfamiliar concepts. However, other students have been badly affected by this school year. Students with special needs may not be getting the services that they receive in a classroom. Similarly, elementary-school students may have trouble concentrating on their schoolwork during remote learning. I agree with the experts who assert that enrichment activities should be included in summer school. For instance, having music lessons can be an engaging way to get students excited about the program. Research suggests that art and other forms of self-expression can have profound benefits for those coping with difficulties. Likewise, athletics can serve as a perfect getaway from stress and anxiety. Since summer school isn’t the traditional classroom, there aren’t many constraints preventing educators from experimenting with some rather unconventional methods of teaching.

— Anuradha, Hockessin, DE

All in all, summer school could be an option, for extra help on anything taught during the year, but I don’t think it should be mandatory. It’s a good solution to anyone who needs extra help or those who have fallen behind academically, but like going back to school now (at least for most districts), staying home should be an option.

— Maya, J. R. Masterman School

I think summer school would be a good opportunity for those who lost their learning throughout virtual learning. There could be a lot of distractions at home. Every student needs the education, without it why bother having school at all. I understand teachers and students need the break during the summer, but throughout virtual learning you actually don’t learn what you should be learning compared to face to face learning. Can’t that effect you in the future? Have you actually learned something that can benefit you for YOUR FUTURE? Summer school should be an option to those who want to do it. If my school were to have summer school I would attend it so that it can help me and feel in those lost information I need.

— Rachael, California

Summer School Doesn’t Make Sense.

I think summer school is a terrible idea. Not just because I don’t want to do it, but also because it doesn’t make sense to me. Where I go to school right now the students essentially have no idea what’s going on ever. The teachers and administration tells us nothing. We keep riding along and doing what we are told in the moment. But if we have been told anything it’s that we are getting a summer vacation. Summer school would’ve been more convenient if we weren’t in school right now. But I’ve been in hybrid learning since September and I don’t want to do it for any longer than how long I normally go to school. To a certain extent, students should have a word in this too. It isn’t fair for us to be left in the dark while apparently our summer is now going to be spent with school. If you’re trying to make mental health worse in students than it already is, by all means please, send us to school in the summer. But personally, I take two AP classes and if I take my test in early June then there is nothing left for me to learn in those classes, so why should I keep going to school during those times? Plus summer school would make matters worse for my family to get me to and from school. It doesn’t make logical sense to me and all and all seems like a horrible idea and a horrible way for teachers AND students to spend their summer.

— Ava, Massachusetts

Students and Teachers Need a Break.

Students need a reprieve between the years to relax and regain the energy it takes to go to school. No, we shouldn’t go into the summer for school, as it would force teachers to continue to overwork themselves without the promise of a paycheck and put many of those teachers in life-threatening situations. Many teachers, like my father, have health concerns that deal with blood pressure that could be fatal. To have healthy blood pressure, people need stress-reducing environments, not to be put in higher stress-situations.

— Anya, Jackson, Missouri

I don’t think summer school would be a good idea this year. Students aren’t falling behind academically, but mentally. Having more school that extends into their free time would be detrimental to their mental health. This isn’t just exclusive to students, however, teachers also have to worry about setting up plans online for nearly the entire school year, and have to do this for months. I don’t see how doing more of that over the summer would help them, either, as they still have to deal with the same problems in this school year, but during the summer as well.

I think requiring summer school this summer is not the smart way to go. I think with the craziness this school year has already been, students, teachers, educators, etc. will all need a break that is fully disconnected from school. Mental health rates have been soaring since the beginning of quarantine, and while summer is not a magical fix, I know that it clears up one of many stress factors.

— Regan, Cary High School

I don’t think it’s a great idea to keep schools open in the summer. I think both students and professors are exhausted after a school year like the one we are still experiencing. The thing I disagree the most with is keeping schools open to make up for lost days, which are not actually lost. Virtual school was the best choice to make during a pandemic, and in some cases, even more than normal was done compared to when we went to school face-to-face.

— Francesco, Rome

Summer School Feels Like a Punishment.

I find summer school as a punishment, a punishment where you aren’t rewarded with the relaxing two months of summer or break from work. Personally if I got asked to do summer school I would decline only for the reason being, I couldn’t handle going into school for the summer and the only breaks I get the entire year being winter and spring would just be too much. Since this is how I feel about it I can’t imagine too many kids would want to meaning making it mandatory would cause a lot of problems in the school communities making it a very bad idea to require it. I do think it should be offered but only to people who truly need it, like people with low grade averages or people that want other help but do not force it on them.

— Ryan, Hoggard High School

I believe this, if available, should not be mandatory. This year has been extremely difficult, and many people have experienced awful things. It is a punishment to force children who have already gone through enough trauma and stress to not be allowed a break. It is one thing if someone completely failed, but this would hurt people like me who actually care about school and grades by having them miss their summer vacation. Personally, if I had to go to summer school even though I have maintained an all “A” average, I would probably not try as hard as I do anymore.

— Cailin, North Carolina

The Notion of “Falling Behind” Is Ridiculous.

Summer school might be helpful for some kids, but in my opinion, the whole notion of “falling behind” is a bit ridiculous. Why should some random person decide what my standard is? Why can’t people just be allowed to learn for the sake of it, instead of having to worry about things like grades and getting into “good schools”? …

Remote learning hindered me in the way that I’m a bit less confident, and more socially anxious, to the point where other people are draining. We’ve all been affected, and we’re all struggling in some way. It’s near impossible to not struggle, and it feels impossible right now. I’m fairly certain that other people have been stressed to the point of tears, are feeling like failures, and are doubting themselves. Things like creative arts and sports are very important. Exercise is very important, and art/music is a way to express yourself.

— Zara, J. R. Masterman School, Philadelphia

Should Athletes Speak Out On Social and Political Issues?

In her Opinion essay “ Athletes, Speak Up ,” Naomi Osaka, a professional tennis player, challenged the culture that objectifies athletes and punishes them for speaking out about social and political issues.

We invited students to share their thoughts on athletes who use their influence to raise awareness. An overwhelming majority agreed with Osaka that, as public personalities, sports figures have a responsibility to use their platforms to educate and affect change. However, several students warned that in these divisive times, athletes also shouldn’t feel pressured to take a stand.

Athletes Absolutely Have a Right and a Responsibility to Speak Out.

Many people will say, “Just shut up and dribble,” but I feel like if there is something that needs to be said, they should say it. Athletes are normal people just like us, just with a bigger platform. If we see something wrong, I believe we should say something about it, and I feel the exact same for athletes. It would be an absolute waste for anyone to not use the type of platform that these athletes are given. I may not always agree with what they say, but it is definitely important for them to stand up for what they believe in. To put into perspective, no one would get mad about an athlete making a monetary donation to a charity, yet they have a problem with them using their voice for good. These are both doing the same thing, just going about it a different way.

— Tyler, Hoggard High School

I absolutely believe that athletes should be able to speak out and voice their opinion. It has always perplexed me as to why it was even a discussion if they should do that. There are unfortunately people that do believe that athletes need to “Shut up and dribble.” In my mind though, why should someone not be allowed to voice their opinion and use their freedom of speech just because they happen to have influence and make money. I guarantee you that the same people that are saying that people like Lebron and Osaka do not have the right to speak out against issues they believe in, would be just fine if another athlete was speaking out and supporting their own values. Athletes and celebrities have a lot of influence and can use it for good. That is a good way to create change.

— Marco, Cary, NC

The National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and several major sports leagues attract millions of fans from across the country and the world. It isn’t expected for athletes to only be athletes with these huge platforms. I believe athletes can use their platforms to spread important messages and act as influencers. More importantly, condemning racism and speaking out for the victims of police brutality. I do think there can be limits to what athletes say in terms of harming other minority communities. For example, DeSean Jackson, a professional football player, commented on the Jewish community saying they will “extort” and “blackmail” America crosses the line. However, not all athletes feel this way nor would blatantly hurt a community with their millions of followers. Athletes represent their organizations, but they also represent themselves, their views, their values, and their communities.

— Anya, Buffalo, NY

Since the foundation of the first American colony in 1607, Americans have been adamant about speaking out against political issues they disagreed with and social movements they supported. Now, it is not any different. With social media allowing a bigger platform to spread messages, it is no wonder that issues regarding society have been mainstreamed. Like any other celebrity or famous person, athletes have been gifted the ability to not only do what they love, but also inspire and spread messages; why should it be any different with talking about political issues?

— Maria, American School of Recife, Brazil

Athletes Don’t Just Exist for Others’ Entertainment.

In my opinion, athletes deserve the right of speaking out against political and social issues because they are capable of spreading the message that confronts the issues like everyone else. Especially if the issue is bothering or connected to them in a way, athletes should be able to address the problem in a way that will effectively inspire others, especially considering Lebron James and his actions regarding social movements. Just like actors, authors, and artists, athletes also have an opinion towards a particular issue so they should also be able to freely express their views on it as others. I don’t find that the activism of athletes is an interference with my enjoyment of the actual sport since they’re just trying to raise awareness about the problems we face in our societies. Athletes are not just meant to demonstrate their physical capabilities all the time, after all, they can have a far bigger in influencing people through their voice.

— Rishab, Illinois

I definitely think that athletes should speak out on social rights issues with the intention of spreading awareness or “to make people start talking,” as Osaka said. I think that part of being such a public figure is that you use your voice to raise awareness. The saying “shut up and dribble” objectifies players because it’s saying that they are only of value because they can play basketball. I agree with Osaka when she said “Do people see us as no more than bodies — individuals who can achieve what’s physically impossible for nearly everyone else, and who entertain fans by pushing ourselves past our limits?” I think everyone should respect athletes enough to value their opinions and views.

— Sarah, Leavenworth, WA

I have never understood why athletes shouldn’t speak out about social and political issues. Athletes aren’t just pawns in a sport, they are real people with real thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and passions. They don’t just exist for other people’s entertainment. In addition, athletes typically have big platforms with thousands, even millions of followers on social media. They can reach a lot of people, and inform them on these issues they feel are important. The people that say they should “stick to sports” are the ones who don’t want to hear what they have to say. These people have a right to free speech and freedom of expression, and that in no way affects the people who get mad about it or the sport they play.

— Juliana, Block 3

Mixing Sports With Politics Isn’t a Good Idea.

Athletics have a huge dominance over American culture. Sports, and professional athletes, are common in our daily lives. From having conversations about the local football team to seeing it in our Twitter feed, it is ever present in our lives, and quite honestly, a nice distraction from the world we face today. That said, professional athletes are being paid to play sports. They are not being paid to share their opinions.

— Tarin, Buffalo, NY

While it is essential for people to be aware of issues that may affect our community, I don’t believe it’s beneficial for such topics to be heard from an athlete’s perspective. Many politicians and intellectuals have the job of researching such issues, so it’s way better if the population hears from them rather than from someone who isn’t actively aware of current situations. In conclusion, while athletes provide entertainment for large groups of people, I believe stirring conversation to political discussions requires a change in audience; mixing sports with politics isn’t a good idea.

— Sofia, Escola Americana do Recife, Brazil

In America, we are already divided. It gets worse each and every day and I don’t want it to divide sports either. From a business standpoint, keeping politics out is the correct move. Politics will cause people to stop watching and buying, meaning less profit. Any smart company will keep politics limited and the last thing our country needs is a larger separation in its people.

— Daniel, Illinois

While I do think athletes should be ALLOWED to say whatever they want under first amendment rights, I don’t think their political messages should be praised. The world is messed up right now and people like myself need an escape…I don’t want my escape diluted my more politics. I want my escape to be an escape.

— DBS, Pittsburgh

Athletes Should Not Be Punished for Their Views.

Obviously, athletes cannot make extreme remarks and not expect consequences. With that being said, as long as athletes remain within the universal moral code, they should not be forced to be censored. This goes both political ways- as long as the remarks don’t cross boundaries. Just as Collin Kaepernick should not have been exiled for his use of freedom of expression, players like Drew Brees and Tom Brady- on the other side of the spectrum- should not be canceled for their developed position. Ultimately, this is lost when people attack players from stating their position; often, people are very quick to insult players who share feelings opposite of their position. The root of this division is much larger than sports. It has been built by concealed systematic oppressions of several groups which are then disoriented by the rich and powerful to vote certain ways and believe certain things- both left and right. Like all people, athletes have a right to their voice and their platform shouldn’t change that.

— Charlie, Glenbard West

Have You Experienced Any Embarrassing Zoom Mishaps?

A video of a lawyer insisting that he is “not a cat” recently went viral. The comedic moment was the result of a faulty Zoom filter during a Judicial District Court Zoom hearing in Texas’s 394th Judicial District Court.

We asked students if they have ever experienced or witnessed a similar virtual video catastrophe. They told us stories of familial interference, backgrounds gone wrong, and caught-on-screen naps. While some expressed embarrassment over their mishaps, others felt gratitude for the levity they provided during these challenging times.

Familial Zoom Mishaps

For the most part our classes run smoothly with a few technical issues along the way, however there have been some more comical moments that I’ve experienced in my zoom experiences. The most amusing moment so far was when one of the students had stepped away from their iPad and their toddler sibling came over and unmuted the microphone. This lead to the whole class hearing the music that the student have been playing and watching the little girl dance around in front of the camera. This was both a very funny break in my day and a good reminder that virtual learning is new and challenging and may have some rough spots along the way.

— Julia, Glenbard West

It was around late November-early December, and I had a Merit Badge class for Boy Scouts via zoom. It was the first class of the merit badge, and I just joined the zoom meeting, and because my mic is normally muted whenever I join school zoom meetings, I didn’t care to check. So, we’re are about 5 minutes in, (btw I forgot to add this but my desk was right near this balcony upstairs that is opened to the living room, dining room, and kitchen so you could hear most everything going on downstairs) and my dad was feeding our dogs, and out of nowhere, my dad sings loudly “Babies, it’s time to eat!” And everyone in the zoom call starts bursting out in laughter. I was really confused at first until the person leading the class told me my mic wasn’t muted.

— Elijah, Hoggard High School

These funny “embarassing” online learning moments make our e-learning experiences worth it. About a month ago my family made me a really nice birthday breakfast and brought it to me while my camera was on in spanish class. They all had their pajamas on and it looked like they were my servants. While many may think this experience is brutal, I thought this was hilarious. It was something my family got to laugh about for a while which made the moment so worth it.

— Nikki, Glenbard West High school

[One] instance that was kind of embarrassing was during my math zoom class. I was answering one the questions and my sister had the audacity to scream her lungs out, which my entire class heard. Now, I’m scared to answer questions over zoom in fear my sister will scream again.

— AY, Philadelphia

I have had several mishaps. Once I fell asleep while the camera was on and I woke up to my teacher yelling my name. The number of times my dog has jumped on my keyboard is infinite. She sometimes unmutes me. My mom likes to walk in back of me, in her pjs, and wave. Once I left the room and came back to my sister twerking for my whole class.

— Rebecca, Illinois

Screen Share Blunders

[L]ast week when I was participating in the University of Toronto’s MUN conference during one of the committee sessions’ roll call while the “chair” or host of the meeting was sharing their screen to take attendance she did not realize that her other tabs were visible. Unfortunately for her one of the tabs was pictures of giraffe genitalia. In fact one of the delegates informed the chair of this mishap and she briefly clicked on the tab filled with the embarassing pictures and closed it thereafter. Everyone with their cameras on, although muted in the call, were laughing profusely including myself. Afterwards the chair apologized for the mistake and cleared the air by saying that she was working on a biology presentation which required her to do research on the giraffe’s reproductive system.

— Rishi, Ontario, Canada

Once, when I was on a Zoom, I accidentally had a bizarre background on. I had just joined my first class, and for some reason I had a background of flying cats. I was trying out backgrounds the night before, and I forget to get rid of them. Everyone immediately started cracking up, and I was laughing while I was trying to turn my background off.

Was on a zoom call and presenter was sharing us his home screen. It was nice and sanitized for zoom meeting . No crazy background picture. no crazy icons on home page to “naughty links” etc. As the presenter talked about his charity and the work they do, up popped up a in lower right hand corner e mail notification with subject matter “Your offer on the Val condo was accepted” there was awkward silence and he continued the presentation

— Longtime, Chicago

Caught Sleeping

Unfortunately, I have had one very embarrasing story on zoom. I am in the police academy prep, and for the first six month we were conducting class online. During one of these zoom classes I was actually very exhausted. For some reason- i thought it was a good idea to sit on my living room couch that was wrapped in warm fuzzy blankets. Let me tell you it didn’t go well. I had the camera on- and yes- you guessed it. I fell asleep. It was the most embarrasing day of my life.

— Betterthanabluesky, Atrisco Heritage Academy

Personally I have not had an embarrassing zoom mishap happen to myself yet but I do have a few stories about things that have happened in my class. One time in my math class someone must have fallen asleep and accidentally unmuted themselves since the entire class could hear them snoring.

Much-Needed Laughter

The fear of a zoom mishap is very real for many students as most students don’t like drawing attention to themselves in front of a class. Personally, this is the reason I tend to type in the chat instead of just unmuting. I think some situations such as Mr. Pontons can be humorous as long as the person is comfortable and a good sport about it. The video definitely brought a smile to my face the first time I watched it, as it did for many others. Both my parents had separately asked me if I had seen the video the week following its debut, as they both got a good laugh from it.

— Charley, Cary High School

Zoom is a platform that acts as a lifeboat once the pandemic started. When most of us were forced into lockdown, the little things that caused laughter disappeared. Through tiny incidents is how we got our daily dose of laughter and probably even some memories of the pandemic and online school. Yes, Zoom incidents do take place from time to time but that’s just a part of life….I mean a cat lawyer is a pretty iconic video but well we live in the digital age so things go viral, stay viral and go away as iconic periods of time.

— Mantrana, India

I would say most people become embarrassed and/or frustrated during these funny moments, I would be as well. However, I think these small mishaps create nostalgic memories to look back on years from now. With the difficulties of life nowadays, it’s the small things like zoom malfunctions that lighten the mood of the day. Even watching funny and relatable videos such as this one can make people feel less alone in their struggles.

— Dalia, Illinois

Learning to deal with a completely different daily life indoors and onscreen have been somewhat challenging. I have had plenty of instances where there were technology problems that were completely out of my control and it seems to have frustrated both me and my teachers who also cannot solve the problem. Humor has always been a great way to combat the stress of a difficult situation, I myself enjoy stand-up comedy or comics when I need an outlet. One of my favorite famous internet videos would be the knife kid. When I first watched it, it was so unexpected and I found the mother’s reaction so real and hilarious. I’m sure that in the near future, there will be another viral video that will take the world by storm.

— Truc, Apopka

How to Write an Application Essay for a Summer Program

Written by Jason

College admissions 101 | most popular, last updated dec 27, 2023 | published on dec 27, 2023.

Do you plan to attend a summer program in high school? If so, it can offer a great opportunity to plump your résumé and give you experiences that can put you on trajectories you never knew existed! 

Summer programs for high school students offer educational opportunities over summer break and provide students with enrichment opportunities. They may cover various subjects and activities, and offer exposure to skill sets to help you identify the right career path for your future. 

They might include academic enrichment programs, pre-college programs, STEM camps and programs, arts and performing arts camps, language immersion programs, leadership and entrepreneurship programs, medical and healthcare programs, and more.

Getting into one of these programs may require you to write an essay. What is the secret sauce for writing an essay, and how should you approach it? Let’s find out how to write an application essay for a summer program.

What Are Essay Requirements for Summer Programs?

Essay requirements for summer programs for high school students can vary significantly from one program to another. Each program may have its own set of prompts, word limits, and particular instructions. Do not fret, how to write an application essay for a summer program is more doable than you realize. Here are some common essay requirements a summer program may require you to write.

Personal Statement

A summer program might ask you to write a personal statement, which simply means you describe yourself with an introduction, discuss your interests and goals, and explain why you want to join the program for which you are applying. A personal statement allows you to highlight your unique qualities and life experiences.

Statement of Purpose

More formal than a personal statement, a statement of purpose asks you to describe your reasons for applying to the program, your professional and personal goals, how the program fits into and how it will elevate your plans.

Academic or Career Goals Essay

Programs that align with academic or career exploration might want to see an essay focused solely on your academic areas of interest and career goals. You want to formulate your essay on how the program will help you achieve those goals.

Focused Prompts

Focused prompts may ask for essays related to a specific theme or targeted area. For example, they might ask about a challenge you have faced or a time when you displayed leadership or entrepreneurial skills. Some applications may also focus on extracurricular activities or community service — activities outside the classroom.

Creativity or Innovation Essay

Camps like STEM or similar camps may encourage you to discuss when you have employed creative, outside-the-box thinking skills such as Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College programs . You may discuss a creative project or problem you have solved.

Challenges and Overcoming Adversity Essay

Some prompts may ask you to write about overcoming challenges or adversity. For example, they may ask you about a time you have faced a personal challenge and how you overcame it. They might also pointedly ask about diversity and inclusion and how you will contribute to creating an inclusive environment in your future.

Writing Examples

Some camps may want to see samples of your creative writing, particularly if you are applying to attend a creative writing camp or residential program such as the prestigious Iowa Young Writers’ Studio . Some programs may ask you for several pages of poetry, for example, or a piece of short fiction. They may even allow you to submit a portion of the novel you are working on as part of your application!

7 Steps for Writing an Application Essay for a Summer Program

Let’s look at the steps on how to write an application essay for a summer program. As you might imagine, some summer programs are difficult to get into, such as the Stanford University Math Summer Camp (SUMaC) that has an acceptance rate of less than ten percent. Therefore, your application essay must be completely on point. 

Here are the steps to ensure that your essay fits the bill.

Step 1: Start early.

You do not want to start your essay the day before it is due. Starting the process early gives you ample time to think about what you will write, draft, revise, and self-edit. Waiting till the last minute could hurt the quality of your essay.

Step 2: Understand the prompt.

There is nothing worse than writing your essay, then looking back on it and realizing that you did not answer the question asked. Do not fall victim to that danger at all. Carefully review the application guidelines and ensure you address all aspects of the prompt in your essay.

Again, there is nothing worse than realizing you have left out a key critical aspect of your essay after you have already written it.

Step 3: Think through your ideas.

Brainstorm what you might want to write about — take five minutes to scribble anything that comes to mind related to the prompt. Identify themes that come to mind, and describe achievements (personal and academic), that align with the summer program’s aims.

Consider putting all your ideas in an outline to help you structure your essay logically. It will also ensure that you hit all the essay prompt points.

Step 4: Work your intro!

What is the most important part of your essay? The introduction! It gets people’s attention, provides a small skeleton for your essay and sets it up. It is just like the perfect pass and layup in a basketball game. Grab the reader’s attention with a compelling hook and clearly state your purpose for applying for the program, particularly if the prompt calls for that information.

Step 5: Work through the body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs should follow up on what you introduced at the beginning. For example, if you say you will talk about your experiences, skills and interests, do just that in your body paragraphs. Show, do not tell in all your examples and use vivid language and examples. 

Instead of saying, “My brother and I have a special relationship,” say, “My brother, a quadriplegic, communicates to me with his eyes. He shifts his eyes left to communicate ‘no’ and right for ‘yes.’ It is the special code we use to team up against our parents and anyone else who gets in our way.”

Showcase your achievements and relevant skills as denoted by the essay. Discuss any challenges you have overcome and emphasize the lessons you have learned. Use concrete examples to illustrate your points.

Step 6: Conclude, ending on a strong note.

Summarize your key points and restate your enthusiasm for the program. End on a strong note that leaves a lasting impression. Ask yourself whether you demonstrated enthusiasm and an understanding of the program, asserted your desire to attend, and showcased your goals.

Step 7: Edit and proofread your essay.

Review your essay for clarity, grammar, and spelling errors. Proofreading is key when writing an application essay for a summer program. Consider asking teachers, peers, or mentors to review and provide feedback. Make sure your essay is polished and error-free. Campus to Career Crossroads offers a rigorous editing process to refine your essay for submission.

Tips for Writing Your Summer Program Essay

At Campus to Career Crossroads, we believe that you can follow these summer program application tips. They will help you stand out from the crowd and hopefully help you get into the program. 

Write Like You Speak

Have you ever heard a teacher say, “Write like you speak!” for the best essay results? This is a great time to apply that advice! How to write an application essay for a summer program starts with a conversational tone.

Why? Here are a few reasons why you may want to implement this suggestion — we believe in at Campus to Career Crossroads!:

• Easier to understand: Have you ever read an essay by a student in which they were trying to impress someone? Did it sound stilted and overblown? Avoiding complex sentence structures and sticking to what you know enhances clarity.
• Engages your readers: Writing like you speak can help the essay’s engagement, making it more relatable and inviting. It can also help you connect with the readers personally, creating a sense of familiarity, and a bond with the reader.
• Shows off your perso nality: Your personality shines through when you write like you speak. People can understand what you are like and “hear” your voice through your writing.
• Makes you seem approachable: Conversational tones can mean you appear more approachable and authentic. It keeps you from seeming overly formal and builds credibility and even trust. 
• Flows naturally: Conversational writing lends to a more natural flow — like spoken language. It can be enjoyable to read and keep your reader’s attention.

Connect with the Program

You may find it difficult to “connect” to a summer program because you may not have attended it before. Read up on everything you possibly can about the program, including testimonials from other participants, descriptions on the website, and more. 

Connect your understanding of the summer program with your goals. Connect with specific areas of the program that interest you and go in-depth. 

Sometimes, making a connection for the program includes experiencing your enthusiasm. Enthusiastically explain why you are excited about the opportunity and how it fits into your broader academic and career goals.

Be Authentic

Just as no company wants to hire someone who does not present themselves authentically, a summer program also wants your personality to shine through, so be yourself. Avoid writing using overly formal language or writing what you think they want to hear. They want to hear from you as you are. 

Stay within the Word Limit

This one is easy to implement. (Always good news, right?) Check the word limit! If you are only supposed to write 250 words or less, write 250 words or less.

Adhere to any specified word limit. Being concise and focused demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively, and summer programs always want you to communicate information about yourself most concisely — really, really well!

As you check the word limit, ensure that you have answered the prompt — we have mentioned it already but it is worth mentioning again!

Learn more: How to Write a “Why this Major?” Essay and ChatGPT College Essays: Should You Use ChatGPT to Write Your College Essays?

Check the Format 

Is there a specific format you should use to submit your application essay? For example, are you supposed to submit it a certain way through a website or are you supposed to save it as a pdf and email it? Whatever the process, review it and submit it in the format you are supposed to use.

Example of an Application Essay for a Summer Program

Let’s take a prompt and review how you might want to respond to it: Write a 250-maximum-word essay on important academic or life experiences in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) you have encountered.

My STEM journey includes transformative experiences, notably engineering collaboration and hands-on molecular biology research. I interned at a tech startup and learned how to engineer sustainable solutions, where I learned teamwork and research methods. 

Interning at a tech startup, InTech, showed me the practical applications of academic knowledge. Leadership roles in STEM clubs and outreach programs allowed me to share my passion and foster a sense of community. 

These experiences have shaped me and my role in STEM, so I want to launch my STEM journey through the STEM Intensive Summer Program.

Write Your Essay with Campus to Career Crossroads

Consider your interests, goals, and desired outcomes when considering a summer program. Choosing a program that aligns with your passions and provides a valuable and enjoyable experience is essential. Some programs may offer college credit, certificates, or other recognition for successful completion.

Ultimately, what do you want to get out of your experience? Think about the deep reasons why you want to attend. Is it to benefit from college credit, academic enrichment, or to learn how to do something specific, like creative writing or research methods? Maybe it is a bit of all of those things.

How to write an application essay for a summer program involves managing a lot of important steps from brainstorming to editing. Campus to Career Crossroads can help you outline and craft your summer program essay.   We can also offer editing services to ensure your essay achieves your goals. Reach out to us for more information! We will guide you through the entire process, from researching the right summer programs for your professional goals to walking through the application process.

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How to Write Georgetown’s “School or Summer Activity” Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Alexander Oddo in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info. 

What’s Covered:

Choosing your activity, consider your “why”, discuss how the activity has impacted you, structuring your essay.

Georgetown’s second supplemental essay asks applicants to respond to the following prompt:

Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.

For this essay, students have approximately half of a page, single-spaced, to craft their response. In this article, we will discuss how to choose your topic, structuring your response, and tips to avoid common pitfalls.

When brainstorming topics for this essay, it is critical to pick an activity that you have had a lot of involvement in and that is really significant to you. Consider activities that you have spent a lot of, if not the most time on, as well as activities that you are highly interested in and passionate about. 

Keep in mind, however, that passion trumps the amount of time invested. Often, students may have an extracurricular in mind for this essay that they have not been doing for very long, but really love. These activities, even when the student has not been involved for an extended period of time, typically are more impressive than an extracurricular that a student has been in for longer, but that they are not as passionate about.

Don’t Just Restate Your Resume

This essay should not be a restatement of your resume; it should instead emphasize the significance of the activity to you.

While including details can definitely have a place, such as in providing context about an uncommon activity, like curling for example, that portion of your essay should be limited to create room for reflection. 

To avoid being too detail-heavy, focus instead on making your essay story-based and include anecdotes. Writing in this way does a great job of showing who you are rather than telling, which allows your essay to be more creative and engaging rather than too professional or resume-like.

As you plan your essay, consider your “why,” or why you enjoy participating in the activity that you have chosen. Including your “why” allows you to demonstrate your authentic interest in the activity and make your essay truly stand out.

This is a crucial component of this essay, but it is unfortunately common for students to underplay this aspect in their essay. 

For example, there are a lot of common activities that many students participate in, such as Mock Trial or Model United Nations. If one student does Model UN just because it’s a fun activity, that might not lead to the best essay. 

Instead, if their “why” is that their participation in Model UN prepared them to achieve a specific career goal, helped them build community, or led to a formative life story, then that could contribute to some more interesting anecdotes and a better essay overall.

In addition to your “why,” it is also important to reflect on how participation in this activity has impacted you. A strong essay will demonstrate to the admissions reader how this activity has made you who you are today.

Consider the following questions as you brainstorm: How has the activity has catalyzed your development of key personal traits? How has participating in this activity shaped your values? How has this activity helped you develop important friendships and professional relationships? If possible, try to tie the answers to these questions into your response. Specifically, you want to show Georgetown who you are and what is important to you, so it is important to take the time and reflect before writing this essay.

As you structure your essay, try to include “I statements.” These statements typically lend themselves to personal reflection and can ensure that your essay is focused on the significance of your activity to you. 

Additionally, when including anecdotes, you can leverage anecdotes from your childhood in this essay. These types of anecdotes can make for great introductions to an essay , or can help explain a lifelong interest. That said, in your essay you will still explain who you are right now, since that is what admissions officers are most interested in.

Looking for advice on how to write the other essays for Georgetown? Check out this article on CollegeVine!

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, summer program essay examples.

I'm applying for a summer program and need to write an essay. Are there any good sample essays available for inspiration? I'd appreciate any to help me get started!

While I can't provide specific sample essays, I can give you some general tips and guidance on how to approach your summer program essay. Your essay should focus on demonstrating your passion, motivation, and fit for the program. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Research the program: Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the summer program to which you are applying. Make note of specific details, such as the program's goals, core values, and unique features. By understanding what the program offers and values, you can tailor your essay to show that you have a genuine interest and are the right fit.

2. Reflect on your experiences: Consider the experiences, accomplishments, and interests that make you a strong candidate for the summer program. Think about how those experiences align with the program's aims. Be prepared to provide concrete examples of your achievements, whether it's serving in a leadership role, volunteering, or participating in relevant extracurricular activities.

3. Tell your story: Write a compelling narrative that showcases who you are and what you bring to the table. Focus on one or two anecdotes that best illustrate your passion and motivation for attending the program. Remember to be authentic and sincere in your storytelling, so that the program committee can better understand your values and personality.

4. Make connections: Highlight the connections between the program and your interests or career goals. Explain how the program will benefit you in terms of personal growth, academic advancement, or future career opportunities. By showcasing the symbiotic relationship, you demonstrate that you're not just looking for any summer opportunity, but specifically the one offered by this program.

5. Edit and proofread: After writing your essay, carefully review and revise it. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Make sure your essay is well-organized and flows smoothly. You may want to ask a teacher, counselor, or trusted friend to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Remember, your essay should be focused, engaging, and tailored to the specific summer program for which you're applying. By researching the program, reflecting on your experiences, telling your story, making connections, and carefully editing your essay, you'll be well on your way to crafting a strong and competitive application.

Finally, consider checking out this blog post from CollegeVine, which is focused on college essays, but may still have some useful tips for you - your essay will just be focused on a particular program instead of a particular school: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-why-us-college-essay/. Good luck with your summer program application!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

Classroom Q&A

With larry ferlazzo.

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to [email protected]. Read more from this blog.

Do I Really Have to Go to Summer School? How to Get Students to Change Their Minds

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Much hand-wringing is being done about the importance of getting students to attend summer school to accelerate learning because of the pandemic.

But how much time is being spent rethinking what it needs to look like so that students want to attend?

Years ago, I was interpreting for a colleague’s parent meeting. He was explaining that he was available after school every day for tutoring. The mother exclaimed, “Yes, but you teach him then the same way you did during the day when he didn’t understand you!”

Summer school must be different if we want it to be popular—and if we want it to be effective.

In this two-part series, educators will share their ideas on how to do both.

You might also be interested in The Best Resources on the “Summer Slide.”

‘Get Out of the Building’

For 16 years, Diana Laufenberg taught secondary social studies in Wisconsin, Kansas, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. In 2013, she partnered with Chris Lehmann to start Inquiry Schools , a nonprofit working to create and support student-centered-learning environments that are inquiry-driven, project-based, and utilize modern technology. She currently serves as the executive director and lead teacher for Inquiry Schools:

Summer school needs to feel like regular school—and regular school needs to feel like summer school. One of the comments I often hear about summer school is that the pressure for producing test scores is less prominent and allows for more student-centered, playful, project-based and inquiry-driven work. In my opinion, all school experiences need to look like that as much as possible—summer or no.

Summer school does offer some flexibility though that can be leveraged for even more student agency, projects, and inquiry. Ideas include:

1. Offer choice-based sessions that students opt into. These do not need to be incredibly complicated experiences, but they do need to be hands-on and student chosen.

2. Get out of the building! Take students into the community or nature as much as possible. Let the students realize that learning is not about a particular space but is truly all around them all the time.

3. Vary time blocks. Don’t make the summer school schedule feel like the school schedule. Vary the time blocks, making some shorter and others longer. Build in some flex time here and there. Be playful with the time, perhaps adding in a morning break for second breakfast, quick 15-minute experiences, longer blocks for involved creation.

4. Lower class sizes. Make every effort to get the class sizes down to 15 if possible. The summer experience will go fast, and allowing for community to develop quickly and easily needs to be a primary goal.

Again I posit that *regular* school needs to also try and incorporate these types of experiences as much as possible. But at the very least, summer school needs to embrace time for play, exploration, and choice.

‘Easier Said Than Done’

Chandra Shaw has more than 24 years of experience in education, as a teacher, reading specialist, instructional coach, and now a literacy consultant at one of her state’s regional service centers. Chandra is a TEDx speaker and amateur YouTuber :

To make summer school more enticing to students and more effective, schools should do two things: (1) Design a curriculum that is dynamic, interactive, and relevant to the students’ interests and needs and (2) Recruit passionate and skilled teachers who are experienced in engaging students and fostering a positive learning environment. Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done.

In every district in which I’ve worked, summer school is very short, usually 2-3 weeks. It is reserved mainly for those students who have not been successful on their state assessments and need to pass the test on a future administration in order to be promoted. Because of this, schools focus on test-prep materials for summer school instead of creating their own engaging curriculum based on their students’ specific needs and interests. Students are subjected to lessons that closely mimic the state exams and rarely experience project-based learning or real-world applications to make the learning more meaningful.

If summer school curriculum were more relevant and engaging, allowing students to explore areas of interest and develop new skills through different methods, summer school would be seen as less of a punishment and more of a beneficial time of learning.

Schools should also take steps to ensure that they recruit the most passionate and skilled teachers who are capable of engaging students who might not be very excited to be attending summer school. Teachers who are passionate about teaching and learning have a tendency to be able to connect with students in a way that others cannot. They intuitively know how to inspire students’ curiosity, and create a safe and inclusive learning environment for students who may not always feel encouraged to participate.

Being “invited” to attend summer school can already have a negative impact on students’ motivation, but making sure that the best teachers are there to guide these students can make a huge difference in the amount of effort they put forth.

Ultimately, making summer school more enticing and effective for students boils down to what curriculum schools choose to use and who delivers that curriculum. When engaging relevant curriculum in taught by passionate educators with high expectations, capable of motivating students, summer school becomes a lot more beneficial for everyone.

‘Flexibility’

Michelle Shory is a veteran language educator with 26 years of experience in five states. She is an ESL teacher and instructional coach at Seneca High School in the Jefferson County public schools in Louisville, Ky. Michelle also works as an adjunct instructor for Eastern Kentucky University and Indiana University Southeast:

First and foremost, it is crucial to shift the perception of summer school from being seen as a punishment to being viewed as an opportunity. Additionally, both students and teachers should be granted flexibility during this period. It is essential to acknowledge that although school is not in session, students and teachers still have responsibilities, such as work or caregiving. Recognizing these commitments will help create a more supportive environment.

Furthermore, summer school should be designed to be meaningful and relevant . If students and teachers invest their valuable time, they need assurance that the program is worthwhile. Emphasizing the practicality and applicability of the curriculum will enhance motivation and engagement. It is essential to convey to students that their participation in summer school contributes to their overall success and progression toward graduation. Additional support, such as optional tutoring sessions, can address individual needs and concerns, fostering a more comprehensive learning experience.

In addition, it can be beneficial to encourage creativity and experimentation to make summer learning more dynamic and engaging. Summer school allows teachers to explore innovative teaching strategies and for students to delve into fascinating and thought-provoking topics. Promoting choice and autonomy in project assignments and weekly tasks will give students a sense of ownership over their learning, leading to increased enthusiasm and commitment.

During the pandemic, I had the privilege of revamping my district’s high school ESL summer program. We recognized the need for a more flexible and supportive approach to accommodate students engaged in remote instruction. While these changes were initially necessitated by social distancing and remote learning, I take pride in the fact that many of these modifications have endured.

Flexibility was a primary focus of our revamped program. We transitioned from traditional in-person classes from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday to Friday, to a hybrid model. This hybrid approach included one-hour live online sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, conveniently scheduled at noon. Optional tutoring sessions were also provided on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Initially conducted online during remote instruction, these tutoring sessions were later held at our district’s ESL office when we resumed in-person learning in the summer of 2021. The remainder of the week allowed students to work on modules posted every Monday, with assignments due each Friday.

This self-paced structure empowered students to manage their time effectively while juggling other responsibilities, such as work and caregiving. Consequently, the program became more appealing to both students and summer school teachers, resulting in a higher completion rate. Previously, a strict attendance policy acted as a barrier for students without transportation or those with late work hours.

To ensure relevance , we streamlined the summer program by focusing on essential standards and two artifacts students would include in their district Backpack of Success Skills/ AKA a digital learning portfolio. By illustrating how the skills they acquired would contribute to a meaningful project shared with their summer school peers and comprehensive high school teachers, students were motivated to participate actively.

Moreover, we structured summer school as an accredited course, highlighting its significance in accumulating credits toward graduation. Additionally, the optional tutoring sessions allowed students to receive support for other projects and coursework, such as assistance with resumes.

Lastly, we recognized the challenge of captivating students and teachers during summer learning. By encouraging teachers to take risks and experiment with new strategies, we witnessed heightened engagement from both parties. Teachers were encouraged to provide choices in artifact projects and weekly assignments, fostering a sense of creativity and personalization. We hope this creativity extends beyond the summer program and influences their yearlong courses.

The perception of summer school should be transformed from a punishment to an opportunity, offering flexibility and support for students and teachers. Emphasizing the program’s relevance and practicality while providing optional tutoring and focusing on essential standards ensures that students see the value in their participation and progress toward graduation. By encouraging creativity and experimentation, students and teachers become more engaged, with teachers trying new strategies and exploring intriguing topics. I’m proud of the positive impacts these changes created.

Thanks to Diana, Chandra, and Michelle for contributing their thoughts!

Today’s post responded to this question:

What should be done to make summer school more enticing to students—and effective?

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] . When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.

You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email . And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 12 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here .

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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When you think of how you want to spend your summer vacation, sitting in a classroom is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, summer school can be a great way for you to get ahead in high school and give yourself an advantage in college admissions.

These days students with all kinds of grades take summer classes. You might take summer school to understand a particular subject better, to free up more time in your schedule during the school year, or to take an advanced class at your high school, nearby college, or online.

Read this complete guide on summer school for high school students to learn everything you need to know about what summer school is, why people take it, and how you can use it to get ahead.

What Is Summer School?

You probably know that summer school refers to classes that students take during the summer, outside of the regular academic school year. However, more specifically, summer school for high school students can be a lot of different things: It can be a way for you to retake a class you found difficult, take specialized courses in areas that interest you, get a head-start on prerequisites and college classes, and more.

Summer school can be classes done through your high school, at a community college or local university, or through a program that includes classes, such as a summer camp.

Online summer school, where students take classes primarily on a computer at home, is becoming more popular. Many of these classes require students to visit the school once or twice to take exams or turn in final projects, but some classes are also offered completely online. Online classes may be offered through your high school, a college or university, or through a specialized online high school program.

Why Do Students Take Summer School?

Reason 1: to improve their grades.

Historically, the most common reason that people took summer school was that they needed to improve their grades in one or more classes.

There are still many students who take summer school for this reason, and many of them find it easier to earn better grades during the summer because summer school often has smaller classes, more one-on-one interaction with the teacher, and fewer distractions, such as other classes, school sports, or clubs to worry about.

Reason 2: To Take Specialized Classes

Sometimes, students will also take summer school classes in order to take a certain class they wouldn't be able to enroll in during the school year. This could be a class they don't have room in their schedule for or a specialized class, such as a course on a specific subject or an intensive foreign language course. Some schools also offer short certificate programs over the summer. These can cover a variety of topics, such as entrepreneurship, computer science, and more.

Sometimes schools offer classes during the summer that they don't normally offer during the school year. You will likely have an even wider variety of summer school class options if you look at classes at community colleges or online . Taking a specialized class can allow you to learn more about a topic you're interested in and help you gain new skills and knowledge.

Reason 3: To Prepare For College

Summer school can also help you get a head start on the rest of your education, including college.

Some students take summer school as a way to get prerequisites out of the way so that they can take more advanced classes during the school year. At my high school, every student was required to take a basic typing class before they graduated, and many students took this class over the summer because it wasn't very challenging and could be taken online. This gave us an extra space in our schedule to fill with an elective we wanted to take.

You can also take community college classes over the summer, which you may be able to get high school or college credit for. These classes can help you get more used to what college classes will be like so that you feel more prepared and confident once you start college. Having college classes, even introductory classes from a community college, will also strengthen your college applications because it will show schools that you can handle the rigor of a college course.

How Can You Do Well in Summer School?

Whatever the reason you're taking summer school classes, it's important that you do well in them. They're using up some of your important summer time, and you want to make sure you don't waste that time by doing poorly in the classes. Summer school classes are a bit different from classes taken during the school year, and there are a few strategies you can use to maximize your chances of success.

Tip 1: Take Fewer Classes at a Time

Unless you absolutely need to take multiple classes in order to graduate, it's a good idea to only take 1-2 classes at a time during summer school. Summer school classes are often shorter than regular classes (often 6-8 weeks long, compared to a whole semester), so they are usually more intensive and require a greater time commitment.

Taken fewer classes is especially important if you are retaking a particular class because you'll be able to be able to focus more of your time and energy on getting a higher grade this time around if you don't have other classes to worry about.

Tip 2: Create a Study Schedule

Taking summer classes can be hard. There are probably a lot of things you'd rather be doing like seeing your friends, being outside, playing sports, etc., and it can be easy to get distracted.

Either before or right after you start summer school, create a study schedule that lets you plan when you will put aside time to study and do homework. If you can set aside the same time every day, like 4:00-5:30pm every afternoon, that can make it easier to stick to your study schedule and plan other activities. Set goals for what you want to accomplish each day or week, whether it's a project you need to complete, papers to read, or just general studying and homework.

On the other hand, make sure you are giving yourself enough time to take a break and relax. Summer school can be demanding, and if you overtax yourself, you may end up burned out by the time the school year starts, which you don't want to do because it could cause your other grades to suffer. If you need help creating your study schedule, ask a parent or teacher for some guidance.

Tip 3: Ask For Help Early

Summer school classes are often smaller than regular classes, and this means you'll have more interaction with the teacher.

Use this to your advantage by asking for help early if something confuses you or doesn't make sense. Particularly if you are retaking a class you struggled in before, you want to make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes you did the first time. Teachers are happy to help students who ask, and they won't think any questions you ask are dumb, so don't be afraid to let them know you need something explained more or in a different way.

If you've already taken the class before and know which areas you struggled in, you may want to tell this to your teacher early on so they can prepare you for the topic better and possibly give you some additional material to look over to make sure you understand the subject.

Asking a teacher for extra help as soon as you don't understand the material can help you keep your grades up in summer school.

Should You Take Summer School?

If you're wondering whether or not to take summer school, ask yourself the following three questions. If any of the scenarios apply to you, then you may want to consider summer classes. For each scenario, the best way to take these summer classes is also mentioned so you can be sure you get the benefits you want out of summer school.

Question 1: Do You Want, or Need, to Improve Your Grades?

Is there an especially low grade on your transcript that you wish you could erase? If you did poorly in a certain class, summer school is a great way to redeem yourself and retake the class for (hopefully!) a better grade.

Even just one especially low grade, such as a D or F, can really bring down your GPA and hurt your chances of getting into competitive colleges. Even if the class shows up as a retake on your transcript, if you got a good grade in it the second time around, that will look much better than having a very low grade.

Best option: If this is the case for you, you will probably take your summer school classes through your high school in order to improve your grade in a particular class.

Question 2: Are There Specific Classes You're Interested in Taking?

Is there a class you'd like to take that is only offered in the summer or you don't have time to take during the school year? Summer school could be a way to fit it into your schedule. You could get creative here and take a class in photography, wilderness skills, a foreign language, or a different interest you have. Summer school doesn't have to be boring!

Best option: Depending on which classes you're interested in, you can take them through your high school, at a community college, at a summer program, or online. Talk to your academic adviser if you're not sure which classes to take and want to know what your options are. If you take classes at a place other than your high school, make sure you understand exactly if and how you will receive credit for them.

Question 3: Do You Want to Get Ahead on Classes?

Are you trying to get prerequisites out of the way or want to take advanced classes to improve your chances of getting into a competitive college? If so, taking summer classes can be a way for you to have more space in your schedule for other classes, strengthen your transcript, and be more prepared for college.

Best option: If you're trying to take some prerequisites over the summer, you'll probably take them through your high school because courses through other schools may not meet the prereq requirements. If you want to take classes to prepare you for college, you will likely take these at a community college or nearby university. You may also be able to take advanced summer classes through your high school.

Should You Do Online Summer School?

Online summer school for high school students is becoming more and more popular, and it's easy to see why. Online classes often allow you to do schoolwork on your own schedule and reduce the time and hassle of traveling to class. However, is online summer school a good idea for everyone?

Online classes can have several drawbacks including the following:

• Less direct interaction with the instructor
• Requires more self-motivation
• Can be more challenging to understand

If you're trying to decide whether or not to take summer school online, you should talk to people who know your study habits, such as teachers and parents, to help make the best decision. However, in general, you shouldn't take online summer school classes if you struggle to motivate yourself to study and complete work on time, or if you struggled with the class before and want more guidance from and interaction with the instructor. Both of these issues can be exacerbated with online classes.

You should also base your decision on how difficult you expect the class to be. For a relatively easy class, you need to take as a basic graduation requirement, such as typing or health, online classes will likely cause you fewer problems than if you were taking a more challenging course. Because the class you're taking isn't that difficult, you'll be able to handle the issues that online classes can sometimes create, and you'll be able to easily get the class out of the way and focus on tougher classes during the school year.

• There are many reasons for students take summer school, whether it's to improve their grades, take a certain class they couldn't take during the school year, or become more prepared for college.
• Summer school can be taken through your high school, at a community or local college, or through a company or organization that offers summer classes. Most summer classes are in-person, but online classes are becoming more popular.
• You don't want to waste your summer taking a class you end up not doing well in. In order to make sure you get good grades in summer school you should limit the number of classes you take, create a study schedule, and ask for help early on if you don't understand the material.
• If you're not sure whether you should take summer school or you don't know what classes to take, talk to a teacher, parent, or academic adviser to figure out what the best option for you is.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about online high school? Check out our guide to online high school and learn if it's the right choice for you.

Is there a certain class you want to take, but it isn't offered by your school or doesn't fit into your schedule? You may be able to take an independent study! Read this guide for everything you need to know about independent study classes and how to take one yourself.

Trying to decide whether to take an AP class or a class at a community college? We go over the pros and cons of each to help you make the best decision.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Summer vacation is the long-awaited time of joy, long holidays, trips, and relaxation. Summer vacation allows us to spend time with our family, go on trips, and take off from work or school. Children enjoy summer vacation by indulging in fun and creative activities. Children learn new hobbies like music, art, dance, and sports practice—during summer vacation. In short, everybody enjoys summer vacation in their own way.

An essay on summer vacation is an academic activity assigned to students after or during their summer vacation. In an essay on summer vacation, you are required to highlight the importance of summer vacation, fun activities to do, hobbies and skills to learn, places you visited, etc. Let’s dig into some samples of essays on summer vacation to give you an idea of how it is done.

Table of Content

Essay on Summer Vacation for Class 2

Essay on summer vacation for class 3, essay on summer vacation for class 4, essay on summer vacation for class 5, summer vacation essay 100 words, essay on summer vacation 200 words, summer vacation essay 250 words.

Summer Vacation is the best time of the year. In summer vacations, schools are closed and we enjoy long vacations. We go on trips and play football, cricket, badminton, and other sports.

This summer vacation, we visit the Juhu beach in Mumbai. I built sandcastles and splashed in the waves. We also drank a lot of coconut water, which is good for our health in the hot summer.

From there, we visited my grandmother’s house in Navi Mumbai. Every year, my grandmother prepares chocolate cookies for me and my sister. We gifted her a pair of shoes as her old ones had worn out.

From there, we went to the Shivaji Maharaj Waterpark, where we enjoyed a lot in the long water slides. Then we had a great lunch at the nearby dhaba.

Overall, my summer vacation was full of joy and happiness. I’ll never forget my summer vacation. It was the best time ever!’

‘Summer vacation is a holiday time. I love summer vacation as there is no school and no homework for the 2 months. I can sleep in late and play football and cricket all day. I can watch TV, eat ice cream, and mangoes and enjoy all day.

This summer vacation I took a swimming lesson. My father bought a swimming costume for me and from 4 to 5 PM every day, I had swimming lessons at the nearby sports complex.’

Every day, after swimming classes, we have yummy ice cream cones on hot evenings. Sometimes, we even make popsicles at home!

Before dinner, I used to play with my dog, Coco. At night, we sit outside and watch the fireflies light up the dark sky. My grandma tells me stories about her childhood summers.

Summer vacations are full of fun and adventures. Now, they are coming to an end I am going to miss this precious time.’

‘Summer vacation is one of my favourite times of the year. There are so many things we can do during summer vacation without worrying about school and homework. We can play outside all day, eat pizza, ice cream and mangoes, watch cartoons and movies, learn new hobbies and go on vacation.’

‘This year, my family and I went on a road trip to the mountains. There were amazing views of rivers flowing and wild animals in the jungle. We stayed at a hotel in the mountains and had tasty food.’

‘From there, we visited my grandmother’s house. My grandmother is the best cook in the world. He makes tasty buttermilk and some local dishes. My grandmother had an old radio where we listened to old Bollywood songs. At night, she used to tell us interesting stories about mountains and how beautiful life is.’

‘After coming from my grandmother’s house, I joined music lessons. I like playing the guitar and it makes me look cool. This new skill is very important to me and I like playing the guitar every day.’

‘At last, I just want to reminisce all the beautiful memories of my summer vacation and the great time I had. My summer was a perfect mix of nature, family, friends, and endless fun. I can’t wait for the next one!’

‘Summer vacation is a time of joy, happiness, long vacations and relaxation. I love summer vacation as I can do a lot of fun things without worrying about school and homework.’

‘This summer vacation first completed my school homework. With homework completed, I was able to completely focus on playing games, watching TV and long trips. We visited on a trip to Kerala. The beautiful beach, green valleys and backwaters was an amazing experience. We were lucky to witness the Nehru Boat Race in the Vembanad Lake, and I was so excited to cheer all the competitors.’

‘After coming back from the trip, I wanted to learn a new skill, so my father enrolled me in cricket coaching. Near my house, there is the South Indian Cricket Statidum, where I used to practice every day from 4 PM to 6 PM. After exhausting from cricket practice, my father would buy me a glass of banana shake.’

‘I also visited my grandmother’s house in Bangalore. Visiting my grandmother during summer vacation has been like a tradition. She holds a special place in our hearts. She told us stories, baked cookies, and we played games. Family time is the best time!’

‘In the end, my summer vacation was fantastic! I did so many cool things with family and friends. Can’t wait for the next one!’

Summer vacation is the most awaited time for students. It’s a break from school when we can have fun, relax, and spend time with loved ones. We often travel to different places, enjoy outdoor activities, and pursue our hobbies. It’s a time to recharge and make memories that last a lifetime.

Summer vacation is a special time of the year for students. It’s a time when we can take a break from our studies and enjoy the sunny weather. During summer vacation, I love to spend time outdoors, playing with my friends and family. We often go on picnics, visit parks, or go swimming in the nearby lake.

Apart from outdoor activities, summer vacation also gives me the opportunity to pursue my interests and hobbies. I spend a lot of time reading books, painting, and exploring new things. It’s a time of self-discovery and personal growth.

One of the best things about summer vacation is the chance to travel to new places. Whether it’s a road trip to the mountains or a beach vacation with family, every trip leaves me with wonderful memories.

In conclusion, summer vacation is a time of fun, relaxation, and exploration. It’s a time to make the most of every moment and create lasting memories with loved ones.

Summer vacation is the best time of the year for students like me. It’s a time when we can finally relax and have fun after a long year of studying hard. During summer vacation, I get to spend quality time with my family and friends. We often go on trips to different places, like the beach or the mountains, where we can enjoy nature and create wonderful memories together.

Apart from traveling, I also like to indulge in my favorite hobbies, such as reading books, playing outdoor games, and learning new skills like painting or cooking. Summer vacation gives me the freedom to explore my interests and try out new things without the pressure of schoolwork.

Overall, summer vacation is a time of joy, relaxation, and adventure. It allows me to recharge my batteries and come back refreshed for the new school year ahead.

This was all about an essay on summer vacation. we hope the above-listed essay samples will help Class 2, 3, 4 and 5 students with their essay writing assignments. For more information on such creative essay topics, visit GeekforGeeks.

Also Read : Essay on My Mother: 10 lines, 100 Words and 200 words essay Essay on My Family: Short, 10 Lines, 100 Words Essay

Essay on Summer Vacation- FAQs

How do you write a summer vacation essay.

Start with a basic introduction explaing what summer vacation are. Then begin by explaing how you spend your summer vacation. Keep your essay to the point. Making it humorous can be a great option to keep your audience engage. Try to avoid grammatical mistakes.

What are some lines on summer vacation?

Summer vacation is the best time of the year. Summer vacation means no worries about school and homework. Summer vacation brings joy, happiness, tasty food, long trips and family time. Children and adults both enjoy summer vacation with great enthusiasm. Summer vacation is like a festival, where each day is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm.

How do I spend my summer holiday essay 100 words?

During my summer holiday, I had an amazing break filled with exciting adventures. I explored beautiful beaches, building sandcastles and playing in the waves. A road trip to the mountains showcased breathtaking scenery and glimpses of wild animals, making me feel like a true explorer. Camping under the starry sky was an unforgettable experience, complete with marshmallow roasting and family stories. Days at the amusement park brought laughter, thrills, and cotton candy delights with friends. Grandma’s house provided warmth, delicious cookies, and board games. Movie nights and popcorn added cosy relaxation. Overall, my summer holiday was a perfect blend of fun, family, and discovery.

What is a short paragraph for summer vacation?

Summer vacation is the best time of the year. This is a percious time filled with sunny days, outdoor adventures, and precious moments with family and friends. Whether it’s building sandcastles at the beach, exploring new places, or simply enjoying lazy afternoons with a good book, summer allows us to unwind and recharge. The break from school routines brings a sense of freedom, giving us the opportunity to create lasting memories and embrace the beauty of nature. From picnics in the park to late-night movie marathons, summer vacation is a magical time that brings smiles and happiness to everyone.

What is the purpose of essay writing?

Essay writing is an important part of academic writing, which serves as a way to communicate ideas, thoughts, expressions and experiences on the given topic. Students can show their creativity in essay writings. Academic essays require research on the particular topic. This can encourage students to explore an in-depth. This process fosters critical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to synthesize information.

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• Summer Vacation Essay for Students in English

Summer Vacation Essay on English

Introduction.

Summer vacation is a time when students can relax and enjoy their free time. It is a time to catch up on rest, spend time with family and friends, and explore new hobbies or interests. For many students, summer vacation is also a time to continue learning and improving their English skills. This article will provide information about Essay on Summer Vacation, ways to spend Summer Vacation. Parents should encourage their children to read, write and practise speaking English during the summer break or take them for an outing to have fun and enjoy the sun.

Essay on Summer Vacation

Summer holidays have an important place in every person's life. especially in children's lives.

Summer is the hottest season of the year, children enjoy it very much. It is a very interesting and entertaining season for them as they get a chance to eat their favorite fruits and ice cream. They also enjoy long school closures during the summer holidays.

Summer vacation is an important time for children. This is a very happy time for them. During these holidays, children can do all that they are interested in. They have fun living with their parents, brothers and sisters through the holidays. Summer holidays are the happiest of students' lives. Because they got some rest from going to school for some time.

There are many other important things in summer vacations along with getting relief from the heat. After the exams are over, the students feel exhausted and are not interested in studying, hence, they need rest to improve their health and viability after a long year of study.

Everyone gets to learn something in the summer holidays, whether they are grown-ups or children. Everyone has their own way of celebrating the summer vacation, some like to go on a picnic with their family, some go to foreign countries and some go home and enjoy it.

Most of the girls like to play badminton, football etc. during summer vacation while boys like to play cricket in the open field. During the season there are many fruits which can be enjoyed only in summer. These fruits help to make the summer holiday more interesting, drinking fresh fruit juice and drinking fresh fruit in the body produces freshness in the body.

Everyone already plans something for the summer holidays. Especially kids start making new plans a few months in advance to make their summer holidays exciting. The summer holidays are a great relief for everyone, that's why everyone tries to make it memorable.

Ways of Spending Vacation

Some children make good use of leave by applying tutoring in their weak subject and make it better. Summer holidays become a summer fun for children who are happy when the last bell rings at school. Summer holidays become the happiest moments for children as they get a long break from the daily busy lives of school and school work. Some people go to the countryside for vacations or to visit some historical and recreational places. The time has come to get away from homework and be entertained by a good trip from home to the city, hill stations, and other quiet places to happily defeat the heat.

Benefits of Summer Vacation

The purpose of summer vacations is to give the students a little rest from the summer season. Excessive heat can cause a lot of damage, so summer vacation is the best option to study and give them a break from the heat and assist the children to recover in weaker subjects See you. Everyone usually has their own way of spending the summer vacation, but most people prefer to go to cold places. Summer vacation gives the students an opportunity to visit new places, increase their general knowledge, and get time for school project work.

Children get an opportunity to spend time with their family members as well as to understand and have fun with them.

Overall we can say that the summer vacation is very important for the complete development of all.

A Place to Visit During Summer Vacations

There are a number of destination options to visit and spend quality time with family. You can book your vacation ticket online via the reputed portals make my trip, via.com, go ibibo etc. some good place falls in: 

Kullu Manali

Munnar (Kerala)

Kodaikanal 

Mahabaleshwar

Above are a few options to choose your destination for summer vacation. It's good to spend special quality time with family and loved ones once a year apart from any workload.

Every child looks forward to the summer holidays as a time of rest and relaxation. Summer vacations provide an opportunity for children to catch up on schoolwork, visit new places and spend time with family members. Children can also improve their skills by taking tutoring classes during the summer break. There are many places to visit and enjoy during summer vacations. The most important thing is to enjoy and make the most of this time.

FAQs on Summer Vacation Essay for Students in English

1. How Can Parents Make Summer Vacation Enjoyable for Kids?

Parents should plan some fun activities and take their children to interesting places. They can also arrange for a tutor to help the child prepare for the next academic year. Parents should also ensure that the child gets plenty of rest. The summer vacation is usually quite long. Parents should plan activities that are suitable for all family members to ensure that they have a great time together. This will also help the parents to spend time with their children. Exploring new places and spending quality time with family is a good way of making the summer vacation memorable. This will make a positive impact on the child's academic performance when school resumes because the child will have had a good break with family and will, therefore, be ready to work harder and succeed academically.

2. Where Should One Go for Summer Vacations?

There are a number of places that one can visit for summer vacations. Some people prefer to go to the countryside, while others prefer to go to the city or visit hill stations. There are also a number of places in India that are worth visiting during the summer vacation. Some of these places include Kullu Manali, Shimla, Chandigarh, Darjeeling, Nainital, Munnar (Kerala), Ooty and Kodaikanal. These places offer a variety of activities that are perfect for summer vacations. They also offer a respite from the heat. People can enjoy sightseeing, trekking, boating, fishing and a lot more while enjoying their summer holidays. Doing physical activities in cooler climates is a good way to beat the heat and have some fun. Parents can also take their children to historical sites like museums, art galleries and zoos. All these places provide an interesting and educational experience for the whole family.

3. What Kind of Activities Can Children Do in Summer Vacation?

There are a number of fun activities that children can do during the summer vacation. These include going to the beach, swimming, playing games, visiting amusement parks, going for hikes and camping. Children can also read books, watch movies or play computer games. It is important for parents to ensure that their children get plenty of rest and exercise during the summer vacations in order to stay healthy. The activities will improve the child's physical and mental health. The child will also get to know his or her family members better and have some fun memories to cherish for a long time.

4. How Can We Make Summer Vacation Interesting for Kids?

There are a number of ways in which parents can make summer vacation interesting for their children. One way is to plan activities that are suitable for all family members. This will help the family to bond and have some fun together. Parents can also take their children to interesting places that offer a variety of activities. These places include theme parks, hill stations, beaches and historical sites. Children can also participate in summer camps that offer a variety of activities such as sports, arts and crafts, music and dance. These camps provide a lot of fun and learning opportunities for children. They also help the children to make new friends. These activities will help the children to stay active and have a great time during the summer vacation.

5. What Are the Advantages of Summer Camps?

Summer camps offer a variety of advantages for children. These include learning new things, making friends, developing skills and having fun. Children can learn new things such as how to swim, play a musical instrument or ride a bike at summer camps. They can also develop important skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication skills. Children can also have lots of fun playing a variety of games, doing arts and crafts or singing songs. In addition to learning new things and developing skills, children will also have the opportunity to meet other children from different backgrounds. This diversity will help them learn about different cultures and broaden their minds. Parents should encourage their children to participate in summer camps as it helps the child's physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.

6. Why Summer Vacation is Good for Students?

Summer Vacation is quite recreational activity for children, it gives them a break from regular routine i.e. homework, school, classwork etc. a kind of quality time spent with family rejuvenates children mind and make them fresh for further studies post vacations. In that case, both parents and children get a break from their busy life. This is why summer vacation is important and its really meant to celebrate by any means.

7. Importance of Summer Camps for Children?

summer camps enhance children inner traits so they can come forward to as a volunteer to perform. There are the modes to make them extrovert and make them socialize with others, during camping they explore new things, find adventure, also experience some basic home activities.

8. What Makes Summer Vacation Apart From Winter Vacation?

In summer vacation children have ample time to indulge in various activities of their choices, whereas in winter vacation there is no such options left.  During summer vacation you can plan for long holidays while in winter vacations because of the short span of time you can plan to move out of city as well.

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Summer International School on Gravity, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Moscow, Russia

• by hyperspace_bot
• 2022/05/26 2022/05/26

The Faculty of Fundamental Sciences, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, is arranging the 3rd Summer International School on Gravity, Cosmology and Astrophysics for students, post-graduates and young scientists. The School will be held in the Educational and Laboratory Building of Bauman Moscow State Technical University on July 4-9, 2022. The School is dedicated to the memory of Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladislav Ivanovich Pustovoyt.

The School is chaired by the President of the Russian Gravity Society, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Aleksey Alexandrovich Starobinskiy (chair), and the Dean of the Faculty of Physics, Professor of Bauman Moscow State Technical University Vladimir Olegovich Gladyshev (co-chair).

The main goals of the School are to discuss modern accomplishments in studying the Universe, tackle the main problems, share ideas and methods of research in the theory of gravity and cosmology. The School will become an event where prominent researchers from different countries will get together to present their projects and share their knowledge on gravity, cosmology and astrophysics.

The School will welcome both in-person and virtual participants and provide simultaneous interpreting for foreign guests. The School will host world-famous scientists from many countries, students from Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the University of Naples Federico II, and from other leading Russian and world universities.

Each ISGCA-2022 participant will receive an international certificate. If you wish to attend the ISGCA-2022, you are invited to register on the School website.

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What’s a Teenage Summer For?

Why some young high schoolers are forgoing that last bittersweet summer at camp..

When I think back to the seven summers I spent at sleepaway camp in Maine, I have mostly sense memories: the sound of screen doors slamming, joyous singing in the dining hall, the scent of pine needles on the path to the (always too cold) lake. Those summers feel dreamy and expansive, full of togetherness and growth.

For kids who go to overnight camp for several weeks or more, it’s a multi-summer experience that typically culminates in a final teenage summer or two—often, the summer after ninth grade or 10 th grade—full of special privileges, capstone projects, and sought-after leadership roles. To skip that summer, for Camp People, is to miss the cherry on top, the End of the Era, the coda to the camp experience.

But more and more families today, with college on the brain earlier than ever, are looking at those early teenage summers and reevaluating. The singing, the swimming, the sitting around the campfire may not be enough. “They are thinking [about] ‘how that looks’ on some future college application down the road,” says Corey Dockswell, the director of Camp Wicosuta , a sleepaway camp in New Hampshire, who has been noticing families reconsidering their young teenage kids’ final summers for a number of years.

“Parents will reach out to me and ask about the experience that kids have in the last year at camp—really worried about if it’s ‘a rich enough experience.’ While I don’t think it’s a judgment on camp, I think it’s coming from a place of pressure that’s building earlier and earlier,” Dockswell says. “Pressure from all sides—what parents are hearing, what kids are hearing.”

Another factor, says J.D. Lichtman, the director of Camp Tapawingo , a sleepaway camp in Maine, seems to also be a bit of “pent-up travel bug that is part of the long tail of the pandemic.” (Tapawingo is where I went for many summers as a kid, and where I send my own daughters, who are 10 and 14, so naturally J.D. was one of the first people I called to ask about this issue—especially in light of the conversations I’ve overheard among some of my teenager’s friends lately.)

Lichtman sees kids and families wanting to take more trips—family trips as well as solo enrichment ventures for the kids—which can cut into camp sessions, which may also require a significant time commitment. Social media plays into this, says Lichtman. “Kids see peers posting all these amazing photos from here and there—and then those campers tell me, ‘I saw my friend do this or this thing,’ and that makes them reconsider camp,” Lichtman says.

Chloe (some names have been changed), an 8 th grader in New York City who has been attending camp for four weeks every summer since she was 9, says she probably won’t go back after ninth grade: “There are so many other things I should be doing by now, like so many places to travel instead of just being in one place. I want to do a program in Europe next summer.” That “should” is key: For Chloe, it means that her burgeoning ambitions for the future align better, given what she sees in her social context, with something like traveling abroad.

Skipping the final year of camp was the best decision for writer and college admissions consultant Samantha Shanley’s teenagers, who started attending a YMCA camp in New Hampshire in 2015. The time commitment (six weeks) just didn’t work anymore for her son—who chose to do an intense, monthlong NOLS wilderness program that summer—and the generalized program they offered wasn’t challenging enough anymore for his increasingly specific interests in backpacking and survival skills.

Carrie, a mother in Maryland who sent both of her kids to sleepaway camp, considers herself a true Camp Person. “Our kids are under so much pressure all the time and so, for me, giving camp is a gift. It’s a time warp where there are no devices, and they are completely in a bubble—that is such a gift.”

Nevertheless, instead of spending the summer after 10 th grade as a counselor-in-training at his beloved camp, this summer her son will be taking classes at a university and doing a brief internship—activities designed to help his college résumé. The motivation for the switch is coming from her kid, says Carrie; he feels that “it’s time for him to do something different and build up a certain narrative on his college app.”

A lot of this handwringing is moot, says Sara Harberson, a college adviser based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Camp is not a ‘reportable activity,’ but neither are any pay-to-play programs and trips overseas kids may take, or ‘early college’ programs either,” she says. The privilege these programs require is not something you want to highlight in the current admissions climate, she notes, where spotlighting an applicant’s life advantages is not desirable. While they may be entirely fun and educational in their own right—and yes, could lead to amazing experiences that could help a kid hone their interests or “find themselves”—doing these types of activities with an eye to your college app is not advisable, agrees Alexis White (aka Alexis College Expert), a college admissions adviser based in Southern California.

What you do in the summer after ninth grade rarely gets reported on your college application, says Harberson. Some of this is purely pragmatic, she notes, since the Common Application only has room for 10 activities—including school, athletics, music, and community service—and the chance you will even have room to include what you were doing after ninth or 10 th grade is slim.

For parents who ask her, “I always say that the summer after ninth is a ‘free summer,’ and even the summer after 10 th is not a big deal—it’s really that summer between junior and senior year that you might want to dig into something that interests you in a real and significant way, with a volunteer opportunity or a job,” says Harberson.

Still, if an older high school student wants to spend summer at sleepaway camp and that is enriching to them—especially if it’s in a counselor-in-training role, which offers leadership training—they absolutely should, because you cannot pick every activity with an eye to pleasing a college, says White. “You have to please yourself and feel refreshed and ready to start the new school year. So many of these kids really need a break,” says Harberson.

What is more problematic, however, is this kind of early “summer optimization” overall, says Ruby, a consultant and parent in Portland with a son who will probably start sleepaway camp in a few years. Ruby “lived ten for two” when she was a kid, and now yearns for the freedom of those days. (Despite the fact that most camps no longer run for eight full weeks, this catchphrase, about how much some kids love camp and count down to it all year, has stuck around in some circles.) “Why does everything have to have real-world payoff? Why does everything have to advance you?” says Ruby. “Can’t something just be diddling around because it’s fun? The panic about college choice has made people sort of get hysterical that their kid is going to get left out; if the kid wants to be at camp and dick around with his friends at the lake, go do that! How many more years are you going to not have this much fun? As adults, we spend so much time trying to recapture that lightness and joy that we have at camp.”

Another way to think of it, says Dockswell, is long game versus short game. “To me, the short game is college—and by that, I mean focusing on your summer activities in terms of how they will help your college prospects. The long game, though, is raising a child to be a citizen of the world who is steeped in good values, has learned how to navigate conflict, work as a team, and have resilience.”

To camp fans, that is exactly what happens around the campfire. Free of digital distractions for the first time in a year, the kids fight and make up. They create and collaborate. They forge new friendships and learn how to live with someone who drives them crazy. (College roommate prep!)

There is a pure sense of childhood at camp that allows them to be a kid for a bit longer—and this dichotomy of fun versus future can be confusing for some parents. “The résumé building feels quantitative— I did this program, I went here, here, and here —whereas camp is sort of qualitative,” says Dockswell. But she insists that the skills they are learning at camp at age 13, 14, and 15 are head and shoulders above those from other programs. “If your kid has an internship at 15 in a psych lab, other than being able to say that—are they really developmentally mature enough to absorb what they are doing? They are developmentally ready to learn to work as a team, to handle conflict—the stuff of camp. I can’t take your kids to Spain, but if you want a kid who is resilient and independent and cooperative—I can do that.”

The last year of camp is a true culminating experience, full of key role-modeling for the younger campers, as well as real responsibilities and privileges. “It’s not nothing. It’s not just one more year, it’s the last piece of a puzzle. It’s the end of an experience,” says Dockswell.

There is no endless summer, this much we know. And part of the beauty of summer—no matter how old you are—is how fleeting it truly is. Whatever the boys and girls of summer choose to do, I think as parents we hope it’s full of memories and lessons that last long past college apps.

One central part of Camp Tapawingo lore is that the camp’s name means “Place of Joy.” For me, and now my kids, having that place— even if just in memories—is everything.

Fall 2025 UGA Essay Questions

  david graves        may 22nd, 2024 in blog.

For First Year students applying to UGA for Fall 2025, we will keep the same longer personal essay (250-650 words) as before, using the essay prompts from the Common App . The shorter UGA specific essay (200-300 words suggested) topic will also remain the same as last year, with the following essay prompt:

“ The transition from middle to high school is a key time for students as they reach new levels of both academic and personal discovery. Please share a book (novel, non-fiction, etc.) that had a serious impact on you during this time. Please focus more on why this book made an impact on you and less on the plot/theme of the book itself (we are not looking for a book report).”

• FYI – We are not restricting you to the exact years of 8th-9th grades, but rather the general timeframe of the middle to high school transition, which can extend somewhat further than one year on each end. Feel free to use your discretion in your choice of the timeline focused on the shift to your high school years.

As always, we also share an essay from an enrolling First-Year student that we believe shows great writing skills:

As a middle-schooler on the brink of entering high school, I was like lost cattle entering a vast social and academic wilderness. In the center, a winding, sun-soaked desert path stretched far into the horizon, beckoning my gaze with its promise of adventure and discovery. Enter The Alchemist and its magnificent idea of the “Personal Legend”– a life goal so lofty that it made locating my locker on the first day of high school appear easy. Forget about the difficulty of making new hobbies or friends; the content from this novel sure played an essential role in determining my ideology related to pursuing my future.

The protagonist enthusiastically praised the significance of believing in one’s dreams, which led my younger self down the correct path. Generating profits after extensive hours of work through my business, navigating changes in learning after COVID-19, and confronting adversity due to my darker skin color all presented difficult periods where persistence and faith were important in progress. Although self-belief was a crucial aspect of pushing through difficult times, it also motivated me to be more confident. Taking risks, from soloing in my 8th-grade jazz band to giving my crush a cringeworthy love letter, changed my belief in embracing adversity.

Furthermore, the book’s emphasis on interacting with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and belief systems mirrors my journey into the real world. Whether developing a dancing board at a Purdue summer camp or a calculus Halloween graph, collaboration enforces the ability to work with others who may share different ideas. Diverse backgrounds boosted my understanding, tolerance, and empathy while increasing my engineering career readiness. Not only was The Alchemist a great book, but it enforced critical systems that I use until this day to succeed in life. The Alchemist played an essential role in instilling new concepts I needed as an adolescent. “And when you want something, all the universe conspires you to achieve it.” Thank you, Paulo Coelho.  – Josh W, Collins Hill HS.

• This essay gives us insight into the student’s feelings and thoughts, and he shares his ideas through descriptive word choice. This is an excellent essay, but please know that we are not expecting this level of writing from the applicant pool overall. This essay example is meant to show our applicant pool how to express themselves through examples, personal growth and emotion. When we are reviewing essays, we are looking more at the student’s voice coming through and less on technical writing skills.

Tags: admissions , essays , file reading , freshman admission

• climate change

I Hate Summer—and You Should Too

W ake me when it’s over—summer, that is. I know, I know, you just love it: the long days, the warm evenings, the trips to the beach, the afternoons at the ballpark when your favorite team is playing and the pennant race is tightening—and the temperature is skyrocketing, and your skin is blistering, and the beer is $6, and the drive home will be in 88° heat, which is fine if you don’t mind running the air conditioner, except that you’re burning through $4–a-gallon gas, because it’s summer-driving season and the giant oil companies didn’t get to be the giant oil companies without knowing the right time of year to hike their prices. 

And that’s hardly all of it. Summertime is the season of horribles, from higher crime rates, to increased warfare, to spikes in asthma, to raging wildfires, to swarms of bugs, to a rise in traffic accidents—and even to a bump in divorces, because how could a 100° heat wave, a busted A.C., and the kids out of school not spell domestic bliss?

What’s more, it’s only getting worse. Last summer was the hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the 10 warmest years were all from 2010 to 2022. So with a lousy part of the year becoming lousier still, here, in no particular order, are nine reasons summer is the suckiest season of them all.

Road wrecks

There’s nothing like long days, no school, and lots of teen drivers to make the highways a safe place to be. Not . It’s no coincidence that the Automobile Association of America (AAA) labels the stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day “the 100 deadliest days.” There are over 11.7 million U.S. drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, and if you know what’s good for you you’ll stay out of their way—especially when they’re out as a group, driving recreationally. “We know that when teens are joyriding as opposed to driving with a specific destination and time in mind, there is a heightened risk,” said Diana Gugliotta, senior manager of public affairs for AAA Northeast, in a statement last year.

Read More : What It's Like To Be Deathly Afraid of Feet

AAA’s numbers back that up. When a teen driver has only other teens in a vehicle, the risk of fatality for the driver and all passengers increases 51%. When at least one passenger is over 35, the overall fatality risk declines 8%. From 2011 to 2020, there were 7,316 deaths in summertime teen-related traffic accidents—nearly half the total of all teen-related traffic accidents for the year.

This means war

Napoleon Bonaparte could tell you a thing or two about what it’s like to pick a fight with Russia in the dead of winter. In 1812, the French army suffered half a million casualties in battles that climaxed in December—a rout that led to Napoleon’s abdication and exile in 1815. Any general worth his steed would prefer to fight in the summer when there’s plenty of light, the roads are clear, and soldiers aren’t bundled up against the cold. As far back as 55 BCE , the Roman army’s “campaigning season” would end when summer wound down and the soldiers would retreat to their winter quarters. It’s probably not a coincidence that World War I began in August 1914, World War II on Sept. 1, 1939, and Nazi Germany’s invasion of Russia in June 1941. More recently , in August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, and in August 1991, the old Soviet Union nearly fell into civil war when communist hardliners tried to oust President Mikhail Gorbachev. America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan typically saw its fiercest fighting in the summer months, and the same is true of the war in Ukraine .

Hot-weather warfare is likely only to get worse. A 2009 paper in PNAS found that rising temperatures exacerbated by climate change could lead to a 54% increase in the risk of civil war in Africa by 2030. A 2011 study in Nature found that warmer weather during El Niño years doubled the risk of civil war in 90 tropical countries and could have accounted for 20% of conflicts around the world over the past half century. Meantime, what’s the season of peace on Earth and goodwill toward men? Wintertime, baby. Wintertime.

Going buggy

Summer advertises itself as the season of birdsong and butterflies. Don’t believe it. It’s the season of pests—particularly ticks, mosquitoes, flies, fleas, bees, and wasps. Ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas in particular can spread diseases that include malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, Lyme, and chikungunya. Bees, wasps, and yellowjackets—with their infernal stings—are similarly creatures of the summer. And you think you know flies? You don’t know flies. There are 110,000 species of them —most more active in hot weather—making up a global population of 17 million flies for every living human. Pssst ! They’ve got us surrounded.

Read More : Long Dismissed, Chronic Lyme Disease Is Finally Getting Its Moment

Season of wheeze

Ah, summer, it takes your breath away. Literally. More than 25 million Americans have asthma, and 4.7 million of them are children— according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If that means suffering during the temperate months, it’s much worse when the oven that is summer turns the dial up to broil. Heat and humidity constrict and narrow airways , trap ozone, and cause the air to entrain more particulate matter from cars, trucks, and smokestacks. What’s more, stagnant summer air—especially in homes with poor air conditioning or none at all—can exacerbate the presence of mold, dust, and pollen. And then—and stop me if I’ve mentioned this before—climate change is making things more punishing still for people with asthma. A 2023 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report found that rising temperatures could increase the incidence of childhood asthma by anywhere from 4% to 11%, due partly to worsening pollution and allergies, and the growing problem of wildfire smoke .

Speaking of wildfires…

When it comes to dust, haze, and a mustard-colored sky, Mars has got nothing on Earth—at least during the summer fire season. Last year’s Canadian wildfires , sparked by lightning and fueled by high temperatures and drought, torched more than 71,000 square miles of land in Canada—an area the size of North Dakota—and yellowed out skies in the U.S. from the Midwest to the Northeast to the mid-Atlantic states. But the U.S. is playing with matches too. California’s wildfire season runs from April through October—peaking in the summer—with megadroughts and heat waves driving the flames. Of the state’s 20 largest fires, half occurred from 2017 to 2022. Climate change, of course, plays a regrettable role in all of this.

Crime and punishment

Nothing puts bad guys in a bad mood like hot weather—or so it seems. A 2019 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that on days with a maximum temperature above 85°F, all crime increases by 2.2% and violent crime by 5.7%. A 2023 study in PLOS One attributed this to what is known as the Theory of Routine Activities, which postulates that for crime to occur, three factors must be present: a motivated offender, a suitable target, and an absence of guards or surveillance. Of these, it is the second one—the suitable target—that is especially common in summer, according to the 2023 study, with greater numbers of people out on the streets. 

As for the first variable, a motivated offender, well, even criminals don’t   want to be outside commiting a crime in a 20°-below polar vortex. During a particularly deep freeze in 2015, Boston saw a 32% drop in burglaries, a 35% drop in larceny, and 46% drop in vehicle theft. Over the same period, New York City set a modern-day record , going 12 days without a homicide.

Summer’s contribution to violent crime in particular may be due at least in part to the common experience of hot weather leading to hot tempers, with even the most even-keeled people more inclined to blow a seam if they can’t cool off. One 2020 study found that people playing competitive video games in a hot room were more aggressive toward their gaming partner than they were when the room was cooler.

Daylight Saving Time

Don’t get me started on Daylight Saving Time. There is just nothing to like about this spring-forward inanity. For starters, it increases energy consumption (when it was supposed to decrease it) due to greater use of air conditioning. The changes in sleep patterns it causes contribute to heart attack , stroke , inflammation , and suicide , not to mention a 6% increase in fatal traffic accidents due to circadian scrambling and overall sleepiness. Small children and teens suffer particularly when the change in the clocks affects sleep cycles.

Read More : What to Know About the Latest Advances in Managing Severe Asthma

Finally, the atmospherics are all wrong. Nighttime is nighttime, people; the sun is the party guest that won’t go home if it’s still out at 9 p.m. I say send it packing no later than 8 p.m. and then race back to a nice wintertime sundown at cocktail hour. Cheers.

Trouble on the homefront

If you want to stay married, it might be wise to sleep through summer. That’s the finding of a 2016 study out of the University of Washington showing that August, along with March, are the two peak months for divorce in the U.S. The reason in both cases is more or less the same: couples tend to see winter and summer vacations as untouchable family time and, even in highly stressed marriages, will make it a point to hold the ship together for those treasured stretches. Once the good times are over, however, the marriages might be too.

“People tend to face the holidays with rising expectations, despite what disappointments they might have had in years past,” said sociology professor and the study’s co-author Julie Brines, in a statement at the time the research was released. “They’re very symbolically charged moments in time.”

When those expectations are dashed, a bust-up is likelier to follow. And while both early spring and late summer were implicated equally in that study, other research by Stowe Family Law in the U.K. found that September—the tail end of summer—is the peak divorce month on the other side of the pond, with total-immersion family time throwing financial, interpersonal, and other issues into relief. 

It kills your skin

No matter how good it might feel to bake in the sun, your skin really, truly does not want a tan. In a rapidly warming world, it should come as no surprise that the sun is murder on your skin—drying it, aging it, cracking it, and much more importantly, leading to cancer. A 2022 paper in the journal Cureus found the highest rates of skin cancer diagnoses occurring from July to October. 

Simple steps like wearing sunscreen , avoiding the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and wearing protective clothing can all help reduce the risk. Sunshine in the winter, of course, can cause similar damage, but in the summer you're out a whole lot more and wearing a whole lot less. That—like summer as a whole—spells trouble.

Correction: The original version of this story misstated the date of Napoleon Bonaparte's abdication. It was 1815, not 1914.

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Why Ivy League And Top Colleges Value Your Summer Job Experience

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High school student summer job

With summer break on the horizon, high school students across the country will soon start working summer jobs to earn extra money and build their resumes. While many students assume that scooping ice cream or walking dogs will contribute little to their college applicant profiles, summer jobs are what students make of them. Ivy League and other top schools want to admit students who are motivated self-starters, leaders in their communities, and industrious and conscientious members of society. A summer job—whether prestigious or seemingly insignificant—is often a student’s first foray into the professional world, offering them the opportunity to practice their networking acumen, develop teamwork and leadership skills, and build connections with potential recommenders for their college applications. Students who choose to coast and collect a paycheck may get little out of their summer jobs, but those who have Ivy League aspirations should take their summer work seriously—the colleges they apply to certainly will.

Here are five ways you can maximize your summer job to enhance your professional skills, develop networking opportunities, and level up your college admissions profile:

1. Start with a Professional Mindset

The first step to making the most of your summer job is adopting a professional mindset. Take your job—no matter how small it may seem—seriously and dedicate yourself to it. It may not be the vocation you ultimately wish to pursue, but focus on how the skills you can develop in your position will contribute to your future career goals. Show up on time, dress appropriately, and be enthusiastic about your tasks. Your attitude towards your job will not only impress your supervisors but also set a strong foundation for your professional reputation.

2. Network with Colleagues and Supervisors

Networking is not just for seasoned professionals; it’s a valuable skill for high school students. First and foremost, students should seek to make their presence known at their job rather than clocking in and out without building relationships. Take the time to learn about your managers’ career paths and seek their advice about how to navigate your own. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and show genuine interest in their experiences. These connections can provide valuable insights and potentially open doors for future opportunities.

Maintaining these relationships after your summer job has ended is just as important as building them in the first place. You never know how a connection may benefit you in the future as you build your resume, and recommenders with whom you have a longer history will offer great insights in your college letters of recommendation.

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David pastrnak lifts czechia to 2024 world hockey championship win, the limits of cashless payments in china, 3. develop your professional skill set.

No matter what your summer job is, you will have opportunities to hone valuable skills that will serve you throughout your career. If you are working a job in which you interact with clients (whether retail, food industry, child or pet care), you can develop your professional persona: speaking politely with clients, learning how to handle negative feedback with grace, solving problems creatively, and representing the company well. If you’re in an internally facing role, you can be diligent about showing up on time, being a team player, communicating effectively with peers and superiors, and creating an organized and effective workflow.

4. Seek Opportunities for Growth

One of the keys to maximizing any professional opportunity is setting measurable goals and taking proactive steps toward reaching them. Particularly if you return to the same job for multiple summers (which you should consider in order to demonstrate commitment and build lasting professional connections), be proactive in seeking opportunities for growth—doing so will demonstrate initiative and a willingness to learn, qualities that are highly regarded by employers and college admissions officers alike. For example, if you are working in a retail store, offer to help with inventory management or marketing efforts. If you are in a food service job, learn about the business side of the restaurant industry and offer to take on extra responsibilities. By taking on these extra tasks, you can gain a broader understanding of the business and demonstrate your commitment to professional growth.

5. Reflect on Your Experiences

One of the best things high school students can do to maximize their summer job experience on college applications is to keep a journal or written log of their experiences. Writing down the responsibilities you had and lessons you learned will help to jog your memory when it comes time to compile your activities list, help you articulate the qualities and duties you would like your supervisor to highlight in a letter of recommendation, and could even provide inspiration for your personal or supplemental essays!

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How I learned to make the most of summer reading

The leisurely season, I came to realize, offered me the freedom and time to delve into classics like “The Brothers Karamazov” and “Invisible Man.”

It’s hard to tell this story without sounding pretentious, but here goes. Not too long ago, I reached for my old copy of “The Brothers Karamazov.” (I wanted to refamiliarize myself with the Grand Inquisitor sequence.) Opening the pages, I was startled to see a tiny rivulet of sand spill out. I could be even more pretentious and call the moment Proustian, because in the next second, I was lofted back over a span of decades to the place where I first read that book.

It was a beach in Duck, N.C., where my mother liked to rent a house every summer. Like many other English people I’ve met, she welcomed unfiltered sunshine wherever she could find it, and I was happy to go along because, more than the ocean or the salt air, I was drawn to the emptiness, which I knew I would be able to fill with reading.

By then I’d ventured into some approximation of post-collegiate adulthood, and it had dawned on me that reading was no longer a thing the world rewarded. It had to be carried out on the bounce, on the sly, when the day’s drudgery was done or before it had begun. So a week at the beach was the kind of gift I was in no mood to squander. I can still see myself, collapsed in a folding chair beneath a rented beach umbrella. Every part of me is covered or lotioned up (half-English kids burn easy) except for my feet, which are buried in the sand. From time to time, I look up, stare at a sandpiper or a garland of kelp. If there’s no breeze to cool things down, I might get up and wade out in the water, execute a few halfhearted body surfs. Then it’s back to the chair.

I was in a family that valued the written word, which meant that nobody bothered me or expected me to do anything other than what I was doing. The hours didn’t so much fly by as condense into a tidal pool. And it was precisely because I’d been given this expanse of freedom that I couldn’t see spending it on what are normally called “summer books.” This wasn’t snobbery: I was a way-back lover of mysteries and thrillers, which I read and enjoyed throughout the year. But where else would I have the leisure to read, yes, “The Brothers Karamazov”? Or “The Magic Mountain,” “Invisible Man,” “Lord Jim,” “Wuthering Heights” or “Sense and Sensibility”?

It had to be summer because that was the only route to immersion. When I learned, for instance, that I had two months after my college graduation to be idle, I didn’t lounge by a pool — I started reading Henry James and kept reading. “The American,” “The Portrait of a Lady,” “The Bostonians,” “The Golden Bowl”: I plowed through them like sand castles. The more byzantine James’s syntax grew, the harder I pushed, because I had never encountered a sensibility of such infinite subtlety and nuance. (In later months, I would learn that James was both a great writer and a terrible writing model, but the original enchantment lingered.)

Summer reading

I suppose you’d call all these books warhorses now, or else tokens of overstriving, but when I think back to that ardent young man, I don’t believe he was trying to impress anybody. He was operating on the assumption that had driven him since childhood, that people out there knew things, and if he wanted to know them, too, he had to come knocking. And that innocence, that hunger, was part and parcel with summer, because he was entering his own life’s summer.

I sit now, in effect, at the tail end of that summer. The future, which once seemed an endless plain of possibility, is now a peninsula. So many things have changed, including my relationship to the written word. I couldn’t possibly sit down today and read — or do anything — for six consecutive hours. Books are now inseparably tied to my work. When I’m not reading for research, I’m reading for a review or a writer’s workshop or some other professional obligation. Now and again a book fills me with the old engine roar of wonder — I cherish that — but even then, I’m still, consciously or unconsciously, poking under the hood to see how it’s happening. The authorial eye never relaxes. In my mind, I edit the instructions on shampoo bottles.

So I miss, even envy, that disinterested lad on the beach, swathed in towels and sunblock, and I wonder if, by the time my life’s autumn and winter roll around, I’ll be ready to rejoin him. Not on the beach, perhaps, but the nearest best thing. All the deadlines and contracts will be cast to one side, and I’ll be able to say once more, and mean it: Tell me a story . The Karamazovs will be there waiting.

Louis Bayard, a Book World contributing writer, is the author of several novels, including “Jackie & Me” and the upcoming “The Wildes.”

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Summer’s the time for Tar Heel tales

UNC Press offers a Mayberry-infused memoir, veteran’s essays, stories of strong Southern women and more.

Whether you’re in a beach chair, kicked back at the campsite or on the sofa at home, reading these books from UNC Press will add some North Carolina flavor to your summer.

“Looking for Andy Griffith: A Father’s Journey”

By Evan Dalton Smith 

For Smith and many of his generation in North Carolina, actor Andy Griffith seemed everywhere, a part of daily life. Even after Smith left the state, he felt the pull of home with Griffith’s influence alongside. This memoir explores celebrity and self, home and what leaving it means, and why we love and admire people we’ve never met. By writing about his and Griffith’s entwined lives, Smith finds his own story, one informed by and freed from the legacy of one of the state’s most famous sons.

“The After: A Veteran’s Notes on Coming Home”

By Michael Ramos 

When Ramos joined the Navy as a chaplain’s bodyguard 13 days before 9/11, he had no idea he would soon be sent to Iraq. But he embraced the posting, combat service and career for a decade until the military told him his skill set was no longer relevant. Ramos struggled with the return to civilian life, through divorce and remarriage, his son’s enlistment in the Marines, the deaths of friends and sleeplessness. These 20 nonlinear essays portray the challenges and complexities of being a warrior, civilian, veteran, father, husband and teacher.

“Discovering North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail: A Companion for Hikers and Armchair Explorers”

By Jerry Barker 

Barker championed North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail and led its development. His book takes readers on a unique journey, sharing the rich history and stories of each segment along the trail’s route. Connecting the route to western North Carolina’s Indigenous history, to the long military presence near the Carolina coast and more, Barker offers a new way to understand and appreciate not only the state’s natural beauty, but also its people and history.

“Southern Lights: 75 Years of the Carolina Quarterly”

Edited by Sophia Houghton, Kylan Rice and Daniel Wallace 

This collection offers short fiction that you can read between summer activities or devour consecutively. The Carolina Quarterly, founded in 1948 at UNC-Chapel Hill, has published many luminaries of modern and contemporary literature, including Robert Morgan, Evie Shockley, Joyce Carol Oates and Doris Betts. This anthology gathers some of the best writing from the past 75 years, along with an informative essay about the journal’s history and influence.

“The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women: Stories of Landscape and Community in the Mountain South”

Edited by Kami Ahrens 

In 1966, high school English students in Rabun County, Georgia, created Foxfire magazine to celebrate Appalachian stories, peoples and culture. Poetry and prose from local students and authors and interviews with community members filled the magazine. Oral histories became the magazine’s focal point and, eventually, material in the multivolume “Foxfire” book series. This first volume in this new series focuses on the lives of Appalachian women.

“Boardinghouse Women”

By Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt

This collection of vivid stories about women who ran boardinghouses in the South comes from the Kenan Eminent Professor of Southern Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences’ American studies department. Englehardt’s profiles illustrate why modern American culture — from food to politics — owes a debt to these women. Coming from different income levels and cultural backgrounds — Black, Jewish, Native American and white — these business innovators often became financially independent. North Carolina connections include Brevard’s own Jackie “Moms” Mabley and Wilmington’s Alice Lee Larkins, who kept a gun tucked in her bodice to discourage marriage proposals from boarders.

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Daily Southtown | Tinley Park honors veterans, recognizes youth…

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Daily southtown | tinley park honors veterans, recognizes youth essay winners at memorial day ceremony.

But it did Richton Park Retired Chief Petty Officer Robert J. Welch’s heart good to see the Principe family of Mercy, 9, Levi, 7, Lukas, 5, Joy, 4, and Hudson, 1, sitting in the front row Monday. Welch spoke at the 2024 Memorial Day Ceremony at General Patrick E. Rea Veterans Plaza in Tinley Park with the children listening to what he had to say.

Welch, a heavily decorated veteran who serves with many veterans groups and is a engineering equipment manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said younger people need to be involved and understand the meaning of Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day is not just another holiday,” Welch said. “We need to pass along our knowledge to the next generation so that they may do the same. We must ensure that the youth of tomorrow understands the true cost of freedom.”

Aside from the Principe family of Tinley Park, there was a smattering of youth among the several hundred in attendance.

But there were also a pair of young essay winners who shared their wisdom.

Emma Dix of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin School in Orland Hills, read from her Patriots Pen essay, that centered on the pride she feels living in the United States thanks to those who fought and died for the country.

“Our great country, America, inspires me because of its freedom, rich history, natural beauty and people who make up this wonderful nation that I call my home” she said.

“As I get older, I obtain great responsibilities that are my duties as a citizen to fulfill.”

Dix said she is looking forward to the day when she can vote and have a say in the world that is around her.

“In some countries, people don’t have these liberties,” Dix said.

Tinley Park High School junior Benjamin James also hit hard on the right to vote in his Voice of Democracy essay.

James is involved with tennis, golf, mathletes, scholastic bowl, chess, the National Honor Society, the marching band, the symphonic band and jazz band.

He also runs a lawn care business and is a lifeguard.

“The right to vote for elected officials is the foundation of American democracy and is considered one of the most essential attributes of the United States political system,” he said.

“Since the establishment of the United States of America, the right to vote of elected officials has been very prevalent.”

Sofia Barrios, of St. George School, also was a Patriots Pen essay winner but couldn’t attend the ceremony.

The ceremony also featured comments from Veteran Commission Chairman William Douglas Rasmussen III and Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz.

There was a battlefield cross ceremony, a flag ceremony, the playing of taps, the presentation of a wreath in memory of all fallen veterans and music provided by the Tinley Park Community Bank. Mandy Barry sang the “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The 2024 veteran banner honorees were named. They will have their photos on light posts in the community.

They are Daniel Bachara, Louis Bachara, James Black, Michael Bubacz, Kevin Clarke, John Domina, Thomas Dukes, Eddie Durham, Savio Gonsalves, Timothy Keating and Kryi Kirk.

Also honored were Peter Laurinaltis, Robert Allen McAllister, Richard Miller, Gerald Nichols, Edward James Novak, Gerald Petrow, W. Douglas Rasmussen III, Anthony Sorrentino, Edward Stolinski, John Turas and John Wegrzyn.

Welch emphasized that those who lost their lives should never be forgotten.

“Generation after generation has been fortunate enough to reap the benefits paid for by those who believe that freedom is worth fighting for and, if necessary, dying for,” he said.

“In cemeteries across American and around the world today, people will pause to spread flowers on the graves of those lost in war. But today should not be about sorrow.”

He said what it should be about is a phrase Gen. George Patton used in 1944, when he said that “We should thank God that such men lived.”

“That is what this very special day is all about, being thankful that such brave men and women have lived,” Welch said.

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown

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Essay on Summer Season for Students and Children

500+ words essay on summer season.

Essay on Summer Season – Summer season is the hottest season of the year. In this season the temperature became so high that water starts to evaporate very quickly. But this is the most entertaining season for kids who enjoy it to the fullest because their school gets off in the summer season. Usually, summers last for mid or later March to June but they can expend up to the first week of July due to a delay of monsoon.

Facts about the Summer Season

The season occurs when the earth tilts towards the sun and a vice versa phenomenon for winter. In the southern hemisphere, December to February are the summer months. The day becomes warmers and nights become cooler. Besides, the day is longer and nights are shorter.

This season, we get a lot of variety of fruits and vegetables . And this is the season in which farmers prepare their land for cultivation. The sky becomes clearer as there are no clouds to give shade. And the sun shines bright.

Effects of Summer Season

Summer is hot for many reasons these include some natural factors and some manmade factors. These factors also cause many changes in climate conditions . Although the season is quite dry the kids love it.

Moreover, too much hotness is very bad for certain things and results in many problems. One problem that it causes in human which is very common is dehydration. It not only causes weakness and dizziness but also can lead to death. So, to keep the body hydrated we need to drink plenty of water.

Small ponds, rivers, and wells dry up in this season. The groundwater level declines and in some areas conditions like drought occurs.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Who Enjoys Summer?

Although anyone can enjoy the summers the way they like the Children loves it the most. They love it because they have a long summer vacation ahead of them which they enjoy fully.

Besides, they can do whatever they want, be whomever they want, and spend their day playing and traveling with family. Most of the children visit their grandparents in summer or go to a hill station in a cold place to enjoy with family. For them, it’s the most relaxing time when they do not have to do any homework on a daily basis.

Moreover, they do all kinds of fun and naughty things they could. In this time they become the king of their dreamland.

Effects on Life

Whether humans, animals or birds all become very irritated of the season. The summer season causes them to stay indoors. And it makes condition pretty harsh to go out. During the day temperature rises to a level which causes difficulty.

What’s Good about Summer Season?

There are many good things about summer that includes the king of fruits and everyone’s favorite ‘Mango’. Apart from that, there is a large variety of fruits and vegetables in the market.

To conclude, we can say that the summer season is not as bad as it looks. It is just like any other season. We can also enjoy summer like any other season by finding the right ways like kids. Moreover, the season is rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables especially the mango.

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