Whereas summer was once a time for play and free time, the high school experience has transformed these two months into an opportunity to pursue more serious endeavors, evoking a cocktail of mixed emotions. From relief, to sadness, to a cry of joy from juniors at having survived (accompanied by a scream of fear from sophomores), summer is a promise of time and opportunity. The question is, how will you be using it?

Many students look to secure internships and volunteer hours. Some take this time to study ahead for SATs, ACTs, and AP classes. Others take the time to unwind and prepare themselves to work harder than ever before for their next year at BCA.

As we wrap up for the year, the Academy Chronicle interviewed a few BCA students and found out what they will be doing this upcoming summer.

Summer programs offered at numerous high schools and universities are always popular. They are demanding academic pursuits that can reflect how committed and interested a student is in a subject.

For instance, AEDT junior Laura Zhou says she is excited about going to the Summer Science Program at the University of Boulder to study astrophysics. “We’re doing a project on asteroid orbit determination,” she said. She recommends to “start looking for programs in the winter,” well before most application dates and before the SAT, ACT, IB, and other testing of the springtime.

Another option is to volunteer, as Jae Lee, ABF 2019, will be doing for the second time this summer. He will be interning at a coalition dedicated towards supporting and increasing awareness for Korean Americans. On his choice of volunteer service, he said, “I’m interested in political affiliations, and my own community… and doing something that can actually help people in the real world is something very appealing to me.”

Furthermore, Jae believes that sometimes, the most important step in finding something to do over the summer is to just try for the activity you want most. “If you need to do something, don’t be afraid to reach out,” he said. “Don’t be afraid just because you think you don’t have the opportunity to do it.”

ABF senior David Ni expands on this notion, and added that ideally, students should do something they truly find worth their time and effort, rather than a meaningless pursuit done merely for the sake of having an activity over the summer. “People should do work because of themselves, not because of pressure,” he said.

However, besides academics and community service, there is nothing wrong with finding a balance and taking time for oneself! In the end, summers are not meant for cramming in as much work as possible; they are an opportunity to finally have that sweet time to pursue what is rewarding and interesting for you, whether that is binge watching a Netflix series, picking up a new hobby, or learning a new language.

As Jae said, “It’s a time to learn about something that’s fun for me. I’m doing something that I wouldn’t normally do in a school setting.”