Summer is the perfect opportunity to take a break from school, relax with your friends, go on vacation with your family and spend time in the heat. However, for the current juniors at NDB, this summer might look a little different. Many of the rising seniors are starting to feel the pressure of college, and are taking advantage of the two month break to prepare themselves accordingly. The Catalyst interviewed several students to gain insight into what they are doing as they start to create their summer plans.

One option for students this summer is to participate in internships at some of the colleges they are interested in.

“I am participating in a medical internship at UCLA over the summer,” said junior Kaylee Ellerhorst. “I will live on campus for nine days, learning different medical tool techniques. I believe that this internship will help me in preparing for college because it will teach me what it is like to live away from home. It will also show me if the medical industry is truly something that I want to do in my future.”

Internships at colleges serve many benefits, one of them being to allow students to experience life at colleges on their list. Additionally, if the college is far away, it gives insight as to what it is like to be farther away from home and helps students develop a stance on this important factor. Finally, specialized internships that focus on a particular field or career provide the opportunity to experience your passion and see if it is something that you really want to pursue.

Another option for juniors is to take advantage of programs that focus on the college application process.

“I am participating in the NDB college essay writing program this summer,” said junior Izzy Sucre. “I think this will definitely help me prepare my essays for the application process. I don’t really know what I want to write about, so I’m hoping that the course will help me get started and stay on top of my writing so I don’t have too much to do in the fall.”

Classes, such as the essay writing program at NDB, are the perfect way to get a head start on college applications. The class specifically at Notre Dame allows for personalized help with college essays from teachers and staff who specialize in this specific part of the college application process. The benefits to any class like this that is taken over the summer are big, and without a doubt puts you ahead and in a good spot for when applications open later in the year.

No matter what you are doing this summer, it is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of not having school and getting organized for the upcoming year. Whether this is by preparing for college, doing summer homework, or simply laying by the pool and relaxing, it is not an exaggeration to say everyone is ready for heat and a break from the busyness of the classroom.