As the school year is coming to an end, so are all of the sleepless nights, homework assignments, endless hours of studying, and stress-inducing tests. Summer is finally approaching, and while most students are planning on relaxing, catching up with friends, or vacationing after the long school year, others have already found unique internships or job opportunities to occupy them.

One such opportunity landed on Sowad Karim ’19, who will intern in New York Presbyterian Hospital at the Weill Cornell Medical Center over the summer. While the application process (which included an interview and some tuberculosis tests) was quite difficult and competitive, Karim did have previous experience volunteering in a pharmacy, which definitely made him stand out among the pool of applicants. Karim will be interning at the Cardiac Care unit in the medical center, where he will assist patients with everyday tasks. “I find that interacting and having heart-to-heart conversations with people is something that I love to do. And since this also works in part with my field of interest, I am really glad that I was able to take this opportunity,” Karim said. In taking on this internship, Karim hopes to serve the community and help those in need.

“Going to campuses offers a unique and intimate experience of the colleges that you are applying to,” said Tiffany Chen ’19.

Similarly, many members of the Bronx Science Key Club choose to volunteer throughout the city over the summer. Their activities range from cheering on participants for Cancer Walks to removing invasive species in New York City parks. “It is nice to use the free time during the summer to volunteer. The weather is really nice in the summer, and it is also a great way to spend more time with friends,” said Aaron Wu ’19.

For many students, vacationing is an essential part of summer break. From traveling across the country to across the world, a summer full of exploring new cities and places allows students to spend more time with their families and friends and to take a break from schoolwork. “Every summer, my family goes on road trips because we enjoy exploring the United States. It’s a really fun experience on the road, and you never know what you are going to encounter next,” said Michelle Lin ’19.

Many rising seniors are planning to spend their summers going on college visits and taking and/or preparing for standardized tests. After seeing many of their senior friends commit to colleges, the stress about the application process has risen among many current juniors. Along with their parents and friends, rising seniors plan to travel around the country with a list of colleges that they want to visit, tour their campuses, talk with current students, and ask questions about the school. They are hoping that doing this will give them a better idea of which schools they want to apply to, so they can finalize their college application lists. “Going to campuses offers a unique and intimate experience of the colleges that you are applying to,” said Tiffany Chen ’19.

While these juniors are preparing for next year, a large part of the student body plans to stay in New York so they can spend more time with their family and friends, relax at home, catch up on a few good T.V. shows, and explore the city. Whether it is playing a game of Frisbee or soccer with your friends, reading a book, planning a picnic, or just taking a walk, Central Park is definitely a hotspot during the summer. “During the summer, my friends and I go to Manhattan  every weekend. We like to rent city bikes, explore the city, and take advantage of the weather. In the winter, it’s difficult to do all these things because it’s constantly snowing in New York City,” said Valerie Dou ’19.

It will be September before you know it, so value the nice weather and the break from school while you still can!