Many students want to improve their writing skills but have little time to work on them. This comes as no surprise, as high school students are inundated with a massive amount of coursework, test prep, and extracurricular activities during the school year. Writing is one of the best skills a high school student can possess; it’s essential for AP prompts, application essays, and test prep, and high-quality writing serves as a valuable communication tool. Students who can express themselves appropriately in writing will have a better chance of succeeding in college as well as later on in the workplace. Here are four ways to strengthen those skills during a stress-free summer break.
1. Read
Experienced and strong writers are usually also avid readers. Reading is a great way to broaden your vocabulary by experiencing words used in context and get a feel for different types of sentence structure and flow. It can teach you what you like and don't like in writing, helping you shape your own voice and style. To be a well-balanced writer, you should be a well-balanced reader. Everything from 17th-century war novels to science fiction stories to entertainment blogs are all great ways to work on reading comprehension and retention and improve your writing simultaneously.
Related: 8 Books to Add to Your Reading List This Summer
2. Summarize what you read
Students with a little extra time can utilize their reading list as a writing tool. Write a brief summary at the end of each section or chapter of a book or article you read. Summarizing is advantageous because it’s a short activity that allows you to break down a piece of writing into your own thoughts and understand how much you retained. Students who have recommended or required reading lists due in the fall should especially heed this tip. In addition to writing practice, your summaries can be saved for studying later. After writing the summary, students should try to look at their writing as an object reader. Is the vocabulary varied? Is the paragraph easy to read? Does the summary contain a topic sentence and a concluding sentence? The more exciting and intriguing you can make small writing projects like this, the more likely you can engage your audience when writing longer assignments like an in-class essay or research paper.
3. Write about something interesting
One of the barriers student writers face during the school year is the inability to choose the topic they write about. You'd likely be thrilled to write about one of your hobbies or interests such as sports, arts, video games, traveling—anything. However, usually, you have to write about a specified topic from assignment lists during the school year. If you're not feeling engaged as a writer, use this summer to just write about things you enjoy doing to help you view the writing process more positively. Your writing will generally have a higher quality if you enjoy what you're producing.
4. Work with a tutor
A tutor can encourage even the most unmotivated students to improve their writing skills. You'd likely prefer to spend the majority of your summer with friends, and you should certainly have a chance to participate in these social activities. However, in addition to having some downtime, even a couple of hours a week with a tutor can help provide the needed structure to help you sit down, concentrate, and improve your skills. Working with a tutor also relieves your parents from helping you make a summer study plan if they're the ones pushing you to stay on top of your learning.
Related: 3 Benefits of Tutoring, Plus Tips to Make the Most of It
You deserve your well-earned break—you shouldn't deny yourself that. But three months is a long time, and you can spare some of that keeping your mind and skills sharp. You have a busy year ahead, especially if you're preparing to apply to college this fall, and anything you do over the summer to engage your mind will help you in the long run. If nothing else, you'll be grateful for the time you spent over the summer when you're less stressed during the academic year.
There are plenty of other ways to get ahead this summer—like getting connected with your colleges of interest ahead of fall admission through our CollegeXpress featured school profiles!
