While students might be doing school from home, the SAT and ACT have been cancelled until June, sports seasons, creative productions from theatre to chorus, campus visits, and proms and other celebrations are on hold or cancelled, we want to focus on the many positive things you can do during this unprecedented time.
1. Stay healthy. Whatever you do, this is your top priority. While the majority of children and young people infected with the coronavirus experience mild to moderate symptoms, they can still spread the illness to others.
2. Stay active. Students with pent up energy need a release. You can be “socially distant” while being outside. Go for a run, a walk or a bicycle ride. Or exercise inside. Many fitness centers, gyms and yoga/Pilates studios are streaming at-home workout sessions with instructors. Exercise is known to help with anxiety.
3. Hone your craft. The free time that you’re no longer spending on extracurricular activities gives you a great chance to really hone your skills. Set goals. Start and complete a project. This goes for artists, actors, athletes, coders, performers, mathletes and more.
4. Apply to summer programs. If you were planning to attend a summer program, complete your applications. While you don’t know for sure, colleges may be re-opened by that time or they may offer the program online.
5. Take an online course. Explore a subject which has always fascinated you. There are thousands of courses, classes and lectures online. Choose from 54 free online courses from the best colleges in the US, including Princeton, Harvard, and Yale Alternatively, try edx.org and Khan Academy.
6. Explore a museum, a zoo, a Broadway show, the great outdoors, and Disney. Take virtual tours of some of the world’s great museums. They’re tremendous sources of inspiration and knowledge. Tired of being indoors? Explore a National Park with a ranger. Go on a virtual dive. Watch a Broadway show or animals at the San Diego Zoo. Take a virtual vacation to a happy place by enjoying Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and even Disney World’s EPCOT countries.
7. Learn a new skill. While stuck at home, you can learn to speak a new language, to play an instrument, how to cook like a pro, to sew, or how to fix a toilet. There are many resources online including YouTube, thingiverse.com, and many more.
8. Tour college campuses. Experience more than 1,000 colleges virtually.
9. Read. You can finally get to all those books you’ve been meaning to read. Reading helps improve knowledge, writing skills, and vocabulary. Scribd, a reading subscription service, and local libraries all across the country are providing free access to all the reading material you can handle.
10. Help your community. Offer to help elderly/ immunocompromised neighbors. Donate to food banks. If you’re 17 or older, donate blood. Make calls for a politician or send emails to congresspeople about issues of importance. Knit blankets for the homeless. Offer virtual tutoring for peers or younger kids. Though you should do good for the sake of doing good, a bonus may be that your experience/ initiative turns into a great college essay.
11. Check in on friends and family. All but those who work in essential roles are staying at home, so this is a great time to check in on loved ones, as well as others with whom you may have lost touch. Take some time to call or text your family members, school friends, and camp friends.
The majority of us have never lived through an event like this with such serious and far-reaching consequences. However, your time at home does not have to be unproductive. Now is a time to connect, exchange ideas, learn, and grow together. Your time is your greatest resource – use it wisely.
We will keep families updated as best as possible in these trying times. Please visit our Facebook and Twitter pages for latest updates.
For help with any or all parts of the college admissions process, visit https://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com or call 1-954 414-9986.
Upcoming FREE WEBINAR
FREE WEBINAR: College Admissions in Times of Uncertainty
March 24, 2020 at 1:00 PM EST
Have questions on what the coronavirus means for colleges and student admissions? Join Mandee Heller Adler, CEO of International College Counselors, for this free interactive webinar.
REGISTER: https://bit.ly/2xa2nuc
All webinars are recommended for parents and students in grades 9-11.
