It’s easy to waste away this summer. It’s easy to default to viewing it as “time off” from school. But this summer is not the time to chill and turn your brain off.

The summer after my high school graduation was the first time I’d have a summer off from work since probably my freshman year of high school. 

I thought that chilling was the best way to prepare for college, but it turned out that it likely created more hurdles for me to overcome once college started. (I fell into bad habits like staying up too late, watching too many movies, not eating well, etc.)

The summer after high school is filled with potential. Don’t let it go to waste by implementing some of these practices!

Adopt a consistent routine.

Summer break is a good time to catch a break, recharge, and take a step back. You need to rest. You need to take some time for yourself.

But this rest shouldn’t require all of your time this summer. (If you feel physically or mentally spent for months on end, this is a sign you may need to schedule an appointment with your doctor or connect with a counselor.)

It’s easy to justifiably assert that you’re too tired or don’t feel like it. This has been a long school year, but at some point you have to get going again.

If you’re struggling to stick to a loose schedule this summer, consider a few tricks to get you going:

• Schedule fun activities and breaks: Maybe what would help jump-start your morning is the promise of an activity you enjoy or spending time with a friend (aka something that motivates you). Sometimes having plans to enjoy yourself can help you get the unpleasant or laborious things out of the way.

• Work your way into a schedule: One reason many people struggle to meet their goals is that they set unrealistic goals. Expecting yourself to suddenly shift from waking up at noon everyday to waking up at six in the morning isn’t realistic. You’ll likely to ramp your way up—waking up at 10 a.m. for a while, then 8 a.m. for a while, and then 6 a.m. 

• Remember tomorrow is a fresh start: Didn’t stick to any schedule today? That’s okay. Tomorrow you can improve on it. You’re not likely to perfectly transform your schedule. Progress will come if you consistently give yourself a chance to start again.

Why is it important to adjust and stick to a consistent routine? College is filled with a lot of routine, possibly more than you experienced in high school.

Being able to stick to routine is necessary to succeeding. If you come to college with no sense of structure to your day, you will find the start of the semester much more challenging.

Make a habit of learning.

Because we all have so much information right on our phones, we can get lazy when it comes to learning. 

I can easily find myself going weeks and even months without ever taking some time to keep learning and growing as a person.

You don’t need to purchase your textbooks during the summer, but you can take some time to learn about things you’re interested in.

Don’t let this summer breeze by without taking advantage of the extra time to learn. Here are some simple ways to keep learning this summer:

• Reading: You don’t need to read textbooks or other practical books if that’s not your preference, but you should read. Read blog posts, news articles, and books. Just read. You’ll find making a habit of reading helps when college starts. (I’ve written a short book to help with all the transition ahead. Click here to view it on Amazon!)

• Shadowing: If you’ve picked a major or are still considering a few different options, think about shadowing a professional. Seeing what their day-to-day work life is like will help you know what you need to know, what you enjoy, etc.

• Volunteering: This summer has the potential to be more about you than maybe any other summer before. Consider taking some time to invest in your community, your church, or a non-profit with a compelling mission. Or volunteer at a local business to get more of a peek into what the world of work is like.

Learning, like many things, is a habit. You won’t likely automatically learn unless you make the choice to make it an intentional habit. 

Decide what matters in your relationships.

Your relationships will change a lot in the next several years. 

People you thought you’d be friends with forever will disappear. A boyfriend or girlfriend you’d thought would stick with you through thick and thin may feel like a bad fit.

This sounds scary, but it’s less scary when you realize this is normal. 

You’re going to grow and develop as a person. You’re going to see the world through a slightly different lens in just a matter of months. 

Different things will become more important to you, so why not take some time now to think through what you really value in relationships?

Here are a few things to ask yourself as you think through relationships?

• Does this person bring the best out of me? If someone encourages you to behave in ways you regret or causes you to think or act in a way you’re not proud of, consider distancing yourself and making this person more of an acquaintance. 

• How do I feel after I spend time with this person? This is one of the most telling things (especially for people who are tuned in with their emotions). If you consistently feel anxious, angry, exhausted, depressed, or some other negative emotion after you spend time with a person, reflect on why you feel that way. It may be this person is not a giver, meaning that they are only interested in how you benefit them. Takers can be exhausting to befriend. You may want to be careful that these types of people aren’t in your closest circle of friends.

• Is this person someone I want to be like? If you don’t want to mimic or imitate this person in any way, this probably isn’t someone who will help you grow as a person. They may even hold you back from growing and succeeding. 

• How does this person treat others (family, other friends, strangers, etc.)? People who are constantly complaining, manipulating, or blaming others are likely to do the same to you (if they haven’t already). These types of friends aren’t likely to benefit you in the long run. They’re likely to hurt you.

• What do I really value in people? This question is very telling. Identifying what matters to you about people will help guide you as you make friends at college. If you value loyal friends, you can avoid making close friendships with “fair-weather friends” (ones who abandon you when you struggle).

In your college years, your friends are some of the most influential parts of your life. 

Thinking through your friendships can help you identify and cultivate the kinds of influences you know you need in your life.

You likely won’t be able to accomplish all of these things this summer (especially not all at once), but you can work on a few of these things. Even if you master just one of these worthwhile goals, your work will be incredibly helpful to you as you start college.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post coming soon!