Ending the school year means it’s an excellent time to start thinking about what’s next. If you are wrapping up your first year of high school or about to enter your last, the summer is a great time to pursue some interests, reflect upon what you did in the past year, and prepare yourself for upcoming opportunities.
There are plenty of ways to stay engaged during the break. For those interested in writing, competitions like The New York Times Student Editorial Contest or the Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition are excellent opportunities to share your voice and get recognized. In contrast, science enthusiasts might consider participating in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), one of the world’s largest pre-college STEM competitions, or the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), which recognizes high school seniors for original scientific research.
In Croatia, there are also notable competitions next school year such as the school competitions in almost all academic subjects – students who pass participate in the regional competition; if they pass it, they get to compete at the national level.
You can also explore summer camps, workshops, or courses — some of them even take place right here in Croatia. Two examples are the Debate camp (Summer School of Democracy) organized by Hrvatsko debatno društvo (Croatian Debate Society) taking place in Orahovica and the Summer School of Science in Zagreb, Croatia.
If you’re not into competitions or camps, there are other great things to do this summer to expand your horizon: challenge yourself to read more, learn a new skill, or maybe dedicate some time to volunteering. Think about subjects or activities you love or like; maybe you can discover something tied to your interests.
Once school starts again, there will be even more opportunities to take part in clubs, after-school activities, or school competitions. This time should be used to reflect on what worked well for you over the past year and on what you may want to improve or try this upcoming year. Once you make a small goal, such as joining a club or entering a competition or doing something new just for yourself, you will set yourself up for a purposeful and fun school year ahead.
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