By Hayley Strahs
News Editor
When school’s out and the sun’s overhead, studying probably isn’t at the forefront of your mind. After all, summer vacation is supposed to be a break from school, not an extension of it, right? The words “summer school” often evoke the same picture in students’ minds: mind-numbing lectures in sweaty classrooms to avoid at all costs. Nevertheless, whether it’s structured courses through the district or Khan Academy videos, education doesn’t have to — and shouldn’t — pause for the summer.
Even if students have vacations, jobs, and summer camps, chances are that their screen time still skyrockets every June. Simply put, losing six hours of school means gaining six hours of emptiness. With nothing to do, many kids fall down the doom-scrolling rabbit hole and double their screen time. Even with a theater production, a job, and a volunteer position, I often spent over eight hours per day on my phone, most of which came from TikTok and Instagram. Unless you have the willpower of a monk, letting your summer slowly wither away is tempting, so why not put your time to good use? Even 15 minutes per day of studying amounts to 17 hours over the entire summer and can make a noticeable difference without detracting from free time.
When August hits, classes often spend time going over past years’ concepts; in fact, the entire first semester of AP Calculus BC at LGHS is a repeat of Calculus AB. Particularly in classes that directly build upon previous levels — math, language, English, to name a few — studying key takeaways from previous lessons provides students with better foundations heading into a new set of courses. Keeping your mind sharp and studying during summer break allows you to get ahead, take it easy, or shift your attention to other endeavors during these review periods. For instance, kids taking the SAT in August or October may benefit from extra study time during the school year. Moreover, to maximize your hours during the school year, opting to take the ACT in June or July can give you more time to study for — or knock out — college readiness test requirements before the school year even starts.
Furthering your education over the summer doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. LGHS offers concurrent enrollment options with six local community colleges that offer courses across a range of disciplines. Whether you’re interested in strengthening your math skills or learning how to paint with oils, there are countless local opportunities available. If a certain course didn’t go your way this semester, or if you need an in-depth review, Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District summer school allows students to recover missing credits and relearn any difficult concepts. For self-guided options, sites like Khan Academy, Quizlet, and Knowt have free flashcards and practice tests in almost every academic subject, while platforms such as Outschool, Skillshare, and Albert.io have paid resources that go more in-depth.
While studying over the summer might not be the most exciting aspect of your break, utilizing local and online resources to practice old concepts or hone new ones will help you in the long run. Once the fall semester arrives, you’ll be able to breathe in your advanced classes with the knowledge that your hard work over the summer paid off.