Freshman to Do List by Season

Build an awesome summer reading list, starting with some picks from this list of titles recommended by the Texas Library Association

Be careful with your social media use - Any words or pictures you post are part of your permanent online record. If it’s something you wouldn’t want your grandparent to see, maybe don’t post it. 

Volunteer with your family (with an organization that is in your field of interest, if possible), to help your community.

• Houston area opportunities

• Cypress Assistance Ministries

• Cy-Hope

• Cy-Fair Helping Hands

• Camp Hope

• Operation Gratitude

• American Heart Association

• Olive Branch Muslim Family Organization

• All For Good

• Idealist

• Volunteer Match

• Volunteer Houston

• Houston Sports Authority

Uplevel your study skills: This is a good time to review what worked and what didn’t this year, and set some intentions moving forward. 

Begin exploring possible careers - There are so many possibilities out there. What sounds interesting to you? Start with your interests and see where your research takes you. 

Are you taking a a family trip this summer? Add a college visit to your itinerary. You can make an appointment for an official visit at most colleges. 

Staying in Houston? I suggest vising and comparing your likes and dislikes about the following colleges: University of Houston, University of St. Thomas, Prairie View A&M University. Other local colleges include University of Houston Downtown, Texas Southern University, and Houston Baptist University.

If you are enrolled in AP classes this year, register now for your AP tests. 

Build healthy routines - Prioritize sleep, healthy food choices and exercise. Stronger physical health = stronger mental health, increased focus and better decision making skills.

Focus on your grades—Your high school transcript is considered one of the most important parts of your college application, and good grades will distinguish you from many other applicants.

Take a moment to learn about the Texas Top 10% Rule. 

Study Schedule - If you don’t have a plan in place, now is a great time to create one. Use a paper or online planner to stay organized and help manage your time. 

Familiarize yourself with college terms

College App & Admissions Timeline - A timeline and set of resources that track the college search and application process from 9th through 12th grade.

Big 5 Personality Assessment - Learn more about your strengths, challenges, and communication and learning style. 

Could your high school grades be worth $100k? If you’re wondering whether your freshman year grades matter (yes, they do), then read this article to learn more about merit-based financial aid.

Feeling like you’re falling behind in a class?  Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and the sooner, the better. Check in with your teacher. Ask older students and/or peers if they might be open to tutoring. Form a study group. 

Time management: Finding it hard to balance your school work, extracurricular activities, and sleep? This worksheet can help assess whether you’re doing too much. 

5 Ways to Spend Your High School Summer: Think about your summer in the context of how your choices can help you to lead a happier life (really!).

Activity Log: Remember to update your spreadsheet at the start of each new semester. 

Micro-scholarships: It’s never too early to start thinking about how to pay for college. Begin building your RaiseMe profile now. 

Begin to seek out opportunities for leadership, however small. Examples include:

1. Team captains

2. Arts leadership (theater, band, choice, dance, orchestra)

3. Employment (even informal employment like babysitting and lawn mowing for neighbors for pay will show responsibility and leadership)

4. Peer tutoring

5. Journalism (newspaper, yearbook, video news)

6.  Student government

7. Club leadership roles

8. Start something new - the ultimate leadership: build an app, start a club. initiate a new fundraising activity, start your own business, start your own philanthropy, create something that didn't exist before

9. Improve on something that isn't working as well as it should - you don't have to start from scratch to show leadership. You can find a way to make a more significant impact, grow a program, or raise more funds for an existing club, fundraiser, or extracurricular pursuit.

10. Develop your leadership skills through programs like scouts, ROTC, FFA, Interact, Key Club, and others.

Four-year course planner: Sign up for sophomore-year classes, and remember that you’re developing a long-term plan for the next three years. Ask your counselor about dual-enrollment opportunities with your local community college.

1. Take college-prep courses—Take challenging courses in high school (e.g., K, Advanced Placement (AP), dual credit (DC)), focusing on the core academics: English, math, science, history, and world languages. 

2. Rigorous courses that go beyond the minimum graduation requirements will make you a more impressive applicant and can even earn you college credit while in high school!

Identify some summer programs you’re interested in: Browse through options for day programs, residential programs, and online options that match an interest you’d like to pursue. 

Build an awesome summer reading list:- Start with picks from this recommended list for excellent teen reads. And consider asking your teachers what their favorite reads were in high school. 

Tips for Planning a College Visit: Make a commitment to visit one local college between now and the end of the school year. Learning about different types of schools will help you figure out which schools you want to spend time researching. 

Consider a virtual tour with YouVisit

 Find summer volunteer opportunities/jobs/internships—Summer is a great time to earn extra money for college while exploring different career fields.

Begin an ongoing dialogue with your parents about how to pay for college—Start discussing ASAP, both in terms of why you want to go to college and how you're going to pay for it. That way, you and your family will be comfortable with the topic when it's crunch time in 11th and 12th grade.

Start saving for college—Even if you can only put aside a few dollars each month, every little bit helps, and creating a college savings account makes the idea of going on to higher education much more real.

Make sure you've nailed down some #adulting skills like

1. waking yourself up

2. basic housekeeping