Rising college freshman here. Long done with college apps and finally faced with the prospect of a lot of free time. I’d like to do something constructive—maybe learn how to code, or cook, or, I don’t know, do martial arts. I don’t have any concrete ideas but I do know that I’d like to explore something outside my usual interests (creative writing, classics, etc.) Any suggestions?
My kids worked to save up some spending money for college. Other than that they relaxed with their friends and family and did some shopping to get things ready for college. It was a very low key summer for both of my kids which I think was exactly what they needed.
My daughter worked 2 jobs because she didn’t want to go to college without her own spending money.
Mine both worked at a camp.
My D1 worked and tutored a few students before she went for a trip to Asia.
Work first and foremost as that is the real world, and then with any free time left over the world is your oyster 
Work, work and more work.
Do you already have a summer job? If not…why?
@thumper1 I’m going to be working for a college consulting firm, but I don’t think I start until July.
My kids worked to save some money for college, one as a nursery school day camp counselor and one at the local beach as a pass checker. Both if I recall had books to read as incoming freshman as part of orientation activities. The rest of the time they shopped for stuff and had lots of fun with their friends. We might have even had a small family vacation getaway for a few days.
My aspiring physician son is spending all summer shadowing a variety of physicians where I work. Spent some of today in OR watching quadruple bypass surgery.
Mine is heading to England for a week to visit friends. He has never been to Europe. After that, a trip for college orientation and then he will be working for the rest of the summer. He was offered a job as a camp counselor. He has done that the past two summers and it was a great experience. I highly recommend it. But he was offered a job working with a traveling equine veterinarian. He couldn’t turn down that experience since he will be an animal science/pre-vet major!
Mine endured basic training and learned to go days without showering.
Mine worked every summer from 7th grade on and had saved a good bit. After high school, he wanted to go backpacking in Europe with a couple of buddies (they all had some travel experience with family). He paid for his plane ticket, food, and incidentals, and we (parents) paid for his accommodations and Eurail pass. He was back to working after freshman year of college and is working now after sophomore year … I’m glad we were able to give him a real break and some learning/enjoyment before it was time to get serious again.
S worked in a summer science and robotics program for 3-9 grades. He loved that it was only part time and he really liked all the other staff members plus the kids. He also did the same job after his freshman year.
D was mainly making up incompletes – she skipped SR year and went from HS JR year to CC but her chronic illness caused her to get some incompletes.
Working to earn spending money for college sounds like a great idea to me.
Kid1 continued volunteer and paid work in his eventual field, went to college orientation
Kid2 worked at a summer camp, did some reading in anticipation of her first year seminar
Kid3 participated in summer music festival related to her music major
Mine is spending her summer working and doing summer reading and prep for one of her classes. She already had college orientation and was given two books to read there, plus there’s a list of suggested reading and she’s going to try to get through some of them as well.
Work. Job experience is extremely valuable. Not just for the money. You also learn over time what kind of bosses you like, what kind of work you enjoy and what you hate doing, not to mention learning how to be reliable. Most of the country is in a strong economy, take advantage of it.
My son worked as an interviewer in a survey research lab at the nearby university, Decent money, and it was a good experience for him.
My daughter will be working two part time jobs - one at a summer sports program for kids, and the other babysitting (which pays better - who knew?). The rest of the time she will be doing her summer training for the sport she will be playing in college and then finally relaxing. Her college expects her to be able to earn $2,500 during the summer - that was a consideration in the FA package they gave us.