Low-key summer job (dance camp counselor), spent time with friends from home and out-of-town boyfriend, a little bit of traveling, and basically enjoying her last summer as a “kid.”
I worked a little, binge watched, read, hung out with high school friends, took some road trips, and went on vacation with friends and family. Best memories of high school were spring break until the day I went to college.
Both worked full time at a day camp they loved and which paid quite well. They banked the $ for personal expenses at college and each paid half the cost of a new laptop.
If you’re getting financial aid, many colleges do expect a “contribution from summer earnings.” Many families see this as toward personal and misc.
He’s working as a lifeguard. Summer is only 2 months. He’s also getting his wisdom teeth out and will have to go to orientation. And shop/pack for school.
Our only child. It was last summer before she attended her college several hours from home. She worked locally part-time all summer. The rest of the time, she attended a few graduation parties and hung out with friends a bit.
More importantly, we spent time doing things together. She learned simple cookie recipes she may want to bake at college. She loves farmers’ markets. We took her all over the state visiting many farmers’ markets. These were fun, memorable day trips for all three of us. She had a great time and so did we.
My kid: Basic training (military).
My son will be a camp counselor at the same day camp where he has worked for the past three summers. He loves being a camp counselor.
He and eleven of his high school friends are also paying and organizing their own trip to Disney World during the first of the two weeks between the end of classes and their graduation in June. None of them have any more Regents exams to take, and AP classes will be finished, so they are free that week (the second week has a graduation rehearsal for which they will be back in time). They will celebrate their close friendships, many since kindergarten. They are the smart nerd boy group in their school, and they so deserve to relax and have fun!
(For many of them, including my son, it will be the first time being away from home for more than a night at a time, so it is also an experience in independence prior to college… to be shared with friends with whom they feel very comfortable.)
This is shaping up to be a very relaxing and fun summer. For once, there is no ridiculous amount of summer homework to complete, no applications to write— just a genuine “breather”!
My two older kids got jobs the summer after their freshman year; my youngest will follow suit this summer.
They’re still at those jobs at 19 and 18 years old. So my Senior daughter will be working at a local Italian Ices shop, where she’ll be joined by her younger sister. She’ll want spending money at school next year, and this is where it’s coming from.
Oh, and we’re doing a week at Disney World 
I plan to not pressure myself to do too much this upcoming summer. I will continue working and volunteering when I can, but my family has already planned multiple trips and I want to spend time with my friends and boyfriend. My family knows that I will have plenty of upcoming summers to do something “productive” and wants me to enjoy this last summer being young.
My D had a very long summer - she finished h.s. in mid-May, graduated right before Memorial Day and didn’t leave for college until Labor Day weekend. She went on a cruise right after graduation with her friends, then basically worked at the same part time job she had her senior year, went to the beach a few times and hung out with friends. We did took an awesome 2 week family vacation to out West to some national parks and visit family in late July/early August but she still had nearly a month til she left for school. Even though she was working, she seemed to get a little bored by the time she left for school because she was one of the last to leave for college.
My daughter is free June to August 11th but hasn’t mentioned anything yet. We have a connection to a retail job but they probably really want someone who can do all of August and continue weekends after that. We are going on a family vacation then it will be time for dd to get ready for school most likely. Our city has some summer youth jobs that dd can apply for for her last time which is a 6 week program starting the week of July 4th. It is about 20-25 hours a week. I’m thinking she will try for her last year of eligibility. Last summer dd also got paid to watch her younger sister’s friend some days. That may continue since even though the girl is 13 this summer she hates being alone too long.
. Her friend will be home from spending a gap year abroad so hopefully they get to spend a lot of time together. My nephew is graduating and has a job lined up in Manhattan starting in August. He graduates Memorial Day weekend and my daughter graduates high school the next weekend. We will go to NYC with him for a few days to help him look for an apartment, check out the area etc. We are more familiar with Manhattan than he his since my husband is from there. I need to work around younger dd’s schedule too so still working it out.
My DD’17 worked the jobs she had already, about 3 mornings a week as a filing clerk at one law office, and an hour a weekend cleaning another law office. It wasn’t much for hours but she had saved up plenty already for living expense at community college (and has barely needed to touch that with her current job at college). So she had some quality time at home with DD’19 too. It worked out perfectly that DD’19 got her drivers license just a week after her chauffer, DD’17, left for college.
I hope DD’19 has a good job for this summer and the next. She needs to rack up some money and her sister won’t be home over summer so she might as well get lots of hours if she can. She currently has a job at the dairy sweet that she despises. She’s been getting about 6 hours a month during the school year. She’s putting it on hold for soccer season and hopefully will have something else lined up by summer. There are so few choices in our rural area.
One of my kids worked, and also went a little wild with her friends – concerts, drinking, parties, boys.
I was relieved to send her off to college so I could get a good night’s sleep and let my nerves heal.
That was probably the one summer of their lives where my kids were not terribly productive (with my blessing). Both did some part-time work and hung out with friends (and my D spent an inordinate amount of time picking out what to bring to college). Honestly, I felt both needed to decompress a bit. Plus our HS graduation is the end of June and both started college mid-August so there was little time.
Jobs. College textbooks don’t buy themselves, you know!
@Midwest67: “went a little wild with her friends” describe’s my daughter’s summer before college (though we did have our usual family 2-week vacation). She arrived at college and almost immediately came down with strep throat. That set her back a lot! It’s really important that our kids go off to college rested and ready.
Eldest worked 35 hours a week and did a final show at her youth theatre. Current senior is planning on working and maybe a summer session of basketball.
My kids pay for their own books, incidentals and entertainment and so they work. There is plenty of time for fun too.
Both D and S17 participated in a 6 week summer theater program - she in the pit and he in the crew. She had a job as well but he just kind of hung out.
After the first year, she took 12 credits at the local CC. We aren’t sure what he’s going to do yet.
My older DDs both worked a little bit and relaxed a lot in the summer before college. My DD18 will probably have a similar experience. She is an EMT who volunteers on our local EMS. This summer she’ll progress to a “senior member” and will volunteer a 12-hour shift per week. She will also work or volunteer for our local theater group. I’m sure there will be a lot of “friend” time too.
Are any “city kids” taking summer jobs or group travel that gets them away from home for a fun/working summer?