Dear Parents: Take Advantage of the Summer!
Posted by Precious Jewel on
I was in tenth grade when I received my acceptance into a one week rigorous summer enrichment camp hosted by The Ohio State University through the Fisher College of Business. The camp's primary objective was to allow students to explore careers in accounting--a field I knew I had no interest in. Even as a teen, I knew there was still a huge opportunity at the forefront for me to gain a wealth of knowledge I would not have otherwise known if I were to be selected, so I applied, received my acceptance letter, prepared, and headed to Columbus, Ohio.
During camp we attended a variety of business and college preparatory workshops. We were also introduced to topics such as accounting, finance, economics, computer technology, and business management. I even made friends with girls I am still in contact with today.
Ten minutes in, my two new friends and I were laughing and chatting about Cincinnati, Ohio. The two girls were from in a suburb outside of Cincinnati. I attended middle school in Mason, Ohio (another Cincinnati area suburb) after moving with my dad and former stepmother for a little while, so we chatted about local Cincinatti attractions. We huddled around one another throughout the entire program--laughing, studying (we had some pretty extensive homework) and visiting one another's dorm rooms.
Two years later I met up with the girls for a Beyonce' concert the summer of my senior year of high school and introduced them to my friends. From there, we followed one another's collegiate journeys and even early adulthood journeys on social media. One of us is now a doctor!!! Congratulations Moriah!!!! 💖 (@imitatedbeauty on Instagram). Seldomly, we reflect on the memories of camp. One of those memories was learning etiquette.
Not only did I learn the "B" and "D' rule of formal dining protocol from the camp's certified etiquette consultant, but I learned interview tips that I still carry with me today. I even gained a mentor who assisted me throughout my collegiate experience. I would not have gained any of this had I focused on solely the camp's title.
Parents: summer is NOT the time for your student to slack off during this increasingly competitive society we live in. Summer enrichment camps, travel, internships, job shadowing, volunteering, informational interviews, and any academic pursuit is what your middle schooler, teen, (and collegiate student) should be taking advantage of.
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