4 Things High School Seniors Should Do Over Holiday Break

You’ve done it! You’ve made it all the way to your senior year of high school, and it won’t be long before you’re in your final semester. After that, it’s off to college and onto the rest of your life.

But, you’ve got a few things to do, first.

You will soon be heading into the winter school break for the holidays, but you can’t really afford to sit around and relax. Instead, you need to amp up your preparations for the future. Here’s where to get started:

1. Review Your College Choices

You only have so much time and energy to spread around and the college application process can be all-consuming. You don’t want to waste any of your precious emotional and physical resources on schools that you’re not sure are right for you.

Go over your list. If there are any schools that you’re still on the fence about, consider cutting them from the list entirely.

2. Finish Your College Essays and Applications

There are deadlines looming. You need to finish your college application packages and wrap up your essays. If you’re running behind, you need to prioritize your time and focus on getting these in before it’s too late.

You may be able to increase your output by looking for ways to reuse some of your supplemental essays where you can. You should also take this time to go over your personal essay with a fine-tooth comb and make sure that it is flawless before you hit that “submit” button. (It also never hurts to have an expert take a look at your essay.)

3. Find a New Project or Volunteer

Are you all caught up on essays? That’s fantastic! But you don’t want to rest on your laurels just yet. You can still use this time to enhance your resume and gain new experiences.

The holiday season is the perfect time to engage your humanitarian side: Volunteer at an animal shelter, help out at a food bank or participate in community outreach programs at your local library, hospital, nursing home or museums. Try to match your activities with your interests, if you can — and don’t forget to mention the service on your applications.

4. Shadow a Parent or Mentor at Work

If you’ve been aching to get a little real-world experience in your chosen field, this is an excellent time to do it.

Typically (except, of course, for retail), a lot of industries slow down a little at the end of the year, so you may find people who are more receptive to the idea of letting a high school student shadow them for a few days as they go about their jobs. Not only can you get an inside look at the field you think you want to enter, but you can end up making some powerful connections for the future.

Finally, don’t let the holiday crunch become overwhelming — and don’t let everybody else distract you. Yes, it’s definitely the season for togetherness and family fun, but you still have to keep your focus on your goals and everything that lies ahead.