I know, some of you are thinking that reading and pleasure don't go together. I encourage you to keep looking for the right book/author. Once you find it, you'll be hooked. But how does reading something for fun fit with 'learning and preparing for the future'? Reading is a skill and like any skill, you get better with practice. The more you read, the better you get at it and the easier it becomes. Along the way, you pick up tons of vocabulary and background knowledge. Vocabulary and background knowledge make reading and understanding even easier, which is great. But it also helps you do better on tests, like the ACT. In an earlier post (9/14), I shared some of John Baylor's thoughts about how much students should be reading. According to him, reading is the best way to improve your score on all portions of the test. Try for a book a month this summer. You'll be glad you did.
Sure, hobbies are fun, but can they really help prepare for the future?
Of course! Hobbies teach us a lot about ourselves. Things we are interested in, how we like to work, how intrinsically (from within ourselves) motivated we are, what we value. They can also teach us specific skills. Skills are great, awesome even. Self knowledge is priceless. Through our many activities that we enjoy (sports, academics, hobbies, volunteering, church,family gatherings) and learn from, we can find a common thread that joins them. This thread can also lead us to a great career. Don't have a hobby? Now's the perfect time to find one. While summer is a great time to volunteer, you can do so all year. Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your community, to focus on others instead of yourself (something we could all stand to do more of!), learn some skills, and, best of all, to feel good.
It helps you prepare for your future as you learn to connect with other people and make a habit of being involved. Not surprisingly, these are both valued by colleges and your future employers. An added bonus, many scholarship applications ask you to tell about your volunteering and community service experiences. Make sure you have something to tell. |
AuthorRhonda, daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, counselor. Categories
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