Take time to recharge your batteries
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The dictionary definition of graduation is “the receiving or conferring of an academic degree or diploma.” Does this mean that your school and parents suddenly flip a switch and you are now a different person, different color, etc? Nope. It’s a ceremony, and you are still you when you move off that stage. You have just managed to gain a wealth of knowledge and skills during your time in school and you’ve been deemed ready to move on, wherever and whatever that may be.
For me, graduation is celebrated in the glorious summer that comes after you have finished all of your IB or AP exams, and the freedom to actually do what you want to during the warm months leading up to your university convocation (yet another ceremony that doesn’t mean you are a different person).
The summer I spent after my high school graduation in a small New England town has one particularly significant memory for me. It was my first time at the beach without my parents and I didn’t take the time to apply sunscreen, the result was a horrific sunburn. My parents’ lack of sympathy and the stern looks they gave me as I had to call in sick to my summer job at the grocery store quickly taught me that I needed to take responsibility for myself and deal with the consequences.
Although most international students in Shanghai are unable to get typical summer jobs due to visa requirements, I encourage you to still make use of your time over the summer.
This is likely the last time you will be in China for an extended period of time, so why not check off all of those items on your Middle Kingdom bucket list? Now you finally have the time to get lost in the meandering streets of Puxi in search of the jianbing (fried pancakes) from the street vendor your geography teacher was always discussing. Or get back on the scooter that has been collecting dust underneath your building.
Most students, even the most avid readers, find that there is little time during the school year to tackle the list of books that have been recommended to you by friends, teachers, relatives, and Amazon’s suggested reading list. The summer after graduation is a great opportunity to read all those books that weren’t on your school reading list. If you start to feel like it’s just one beach read after another, try reading a classic for every two other books. This is how I read “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” which ended up being a lifelong favorite.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you are taking time to recharge and get ready for the next chapter of your life. And, of course, be sure to wear sunscreen.
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