Spending a Meaningful Summer

Photo courtesy: Google

Summer break is over in a flash – welcome to a fresh school year at SFS. We all need these golden months to take a break from our daily routines, but as high schoolers, we are constantly under pressure that we have to do meaningful things that we can later put on our resume. While it is still important to plan for the future, is that all there is to our summer experiences?

Some students found meaning in helping a greater cause. “I went to a few rescue centers and conservatories for different animals,” says Denise Antonio (11). While there are many ways to help animals during the school year, we can only commit to full-time volunteers in the summer. “I got to help out with the care of these animals before they are released [and] also got to understand the hardships of animals held in captivity.” Although understanding wildlife is valuable for everyone, it is especially so for Denise, who is interested in pursuing biochemistry in the future. She believes that these memories will “keep [her] interest in this area of study alive.” 

Other students have chosen to invest their time in summer camps, intensively honing skills related to their areas of interest. Nayoon Cha-Ryu (11) attended an arts course in Richelieu, France, “learning printmaking, drawing, architecture and more.” However, the courses offered her more than just technical skills beneficial to her in DP HL Art. “I feel like I’ve also grown a lot as a person,” she says, “I’ve become more organized and have a regular daily routine now.” Developing self-discipline and work habits will contribute to our success in the new school year.

Of course, the highlight of summer break is exploring places we rarely have time for. Touring South Korea, Lydia Hanson (10) felt that she “learned more and understood more about Korean culture [by visiting the] national museums and the Blue House.” While these places are only an hour away by public transportation, we are too busy during the academic year to visit them. Some students decided to travel to places further away from Korea. After completing her first year of high school, Jiyu Lee (10) was able to take a well-deserved break by visiting Spain to learn about the country’s culture. “The first half of my summer hasn’t been the most educational, but I think it’s really helped me to just relax and get my mind off of studying,” she says. Sometimes we need these breaks to refresh our minds so that we can focus when it’s necessary.

As a new school year begins, there’s no doubt that we’ll face challenging times sooner or later. What we do during our summers, whether it be happy memories relaxing or finding your passion, might just be what fuels us forward. With that, we welcome all SFHS students to the academic year of 2024-2025!