By Doreen Filice
The bell rings on the last day of school, and every teenager is
faced with the same question: What’s on the agenda for the summer?
Will it be all work and no play, or will you rise at the crack of
noon, scrounge around in the kitchen for a frozen waffle and a
Coke, and party until the sun comes back up?
By Doreen Filice
The bell rings on the last day of school, and every teenager is faced with the same question: What’s on the agenda for the summer? Will it be all work and no play, or will you rise at the crack of noon, scrounge around in the kitchen for a frozen waffle and a Coke, and party until the sun comes back up?
While it’s pretty obvious what most teenagers would like to do, many don’t choose to spend the summer lounging on the beach.
It’s hard to finance a teenage lifestyle, especially with the rising price of gas and the opportunity summer presents to take off anywhere at anytime. Unless, of course, you happen to be employed.
“I’m planning to get a job,” said Brittany Gottlieb, 16, of San Juan Bautista. “Basically, I need a job for gas.”
And while a paycheck is definitely handy, the perks that come with certain jobs are an incentive.
“I want to work at Fruit Friz … or maybe the (Gilroy Premium) Outlets. Then I can get discounts,” said Gottlieb.
A job is not the only way to take advantage of the summer months. Many teens use the time off to work on skills for the coming school year. Christina Herron, a rower for the Los Gatos Rowing Club, is spending part of her summer at rowing camp.
“I want to keep my rowing skills up during the summer so I do well on varsity next year,” she explained.
Rowing camp is four days in June and July, so for the rest of the summer, it’s the rat race, Herron said.
“I’m going to get a job. At least that’s what my plan is.”
For teens looking to get something else out of their summer, there’s always volunteering. David Bress of Gilroy gave his time two summers ago at the Gilroy Senior Center. He and a friend volunteered a few days a week, serving lunches. Bress enjoyed the experience.
“The seniors are very entertaining. They always have a comment to give and a joke to tell,” he said.
For teens wanting to volunteer, your best bet is to find an organization and ask for information. Many places welcome and appreciate any amount of time you can give.
College-wise, some activities look better when it’s time to fill out applications. Even if you read dozens of trashy novels on the beach and got a great tan, lounging around doing nothing does not impress admissions directors.
According to Michelle Stewart, a college counselor at Presentation High School in San Jose, colleges look for “anything that shows what a student is passionate about or what their interests are.”
This could be anything from taking a summer class on a subject you like, volunteering, attending a summer program at a college or working in a field that you’re interested in.
Regardless of what teens choose to do for the summer, most appreciate it as a time to relax from the stress of school and have fun with friends, no matter what they decide to fill their time with.
“The whole point of summer is to be spontaneous,” said Gottlieb.
