TAKE A RISK: Why taking a risk is worth it

Wellesley College has been on my radar since the beginning of high school, and Wellesley’s Pre-College Summer Program was the perfect opportunity to immerse myself in a college setting for a week. I got a feel for the campus, took a class, learned more about the school, explored Boston, and had fun with new friends.

While all the options were interesting, I chose a Leadership Course because I wanted to learn major life skills such as email writing, business etiquette, how to ace an interview, and so much more. Learning about business situations from a seasoned professional was very helpful and many of the skills we gained that week have already come in handy!

We woke up and got ready for the day, then met friends for breakfast before class. Afterwards we headed back to our rooms to get our backpacks before walking to class together as we enjoyed the beautiful campus. We met in a Wellesley classroom for lectures, group discussions, collaborative activities, and mock training sessions for a few hours before breaking for lunch. Afternoon classes built on the morning’s lessons and then we had our daily free time. The RAs planned activities for us such as a scavenger hunt, a tour of campus and the town of Wellesley, an escape room challenge,

and cookie decorating. I also enjoyed discovering unique spots on campus, or going to a friend’s room to hang out.

The most memorable moment of my summer was going on a Duck Boat Tour in Boston on the last day of the program. Boston is such an amazing city filled with so much history. My friends and I had so much fun exploring Boston and seeing all the things I had only learned about in classes.

Pick a class that interests you, but is not in your comfort zone. This is the ideal opportunity to try something new and challenge yourself, and chances are that it will end up being the highlight of your summer vacation! Also, be friendly and try to connect with other students to get the most out of the experience. You might even stay in touch with your new friends like I did!

orried that signing up for a 2020 summer program will doom you to weeks of boredom? We get it! Choosing to spend a break from school on, well, more school, sounds a little crazy to most teens. Lucky for you, there’s nothing to worry about. Most college prep summer programs incorporate outdoor activities, sightseeing, and free time into each week, so there won’t be a dull moment.

Since you will be still spending a good deal of time in class, consider choosing a program that centers around your passions. If you love music, why not try a performing arts program? If you’re crazy about sports, maybe a recreation and fitness program would be more up your alley. If you’re still not sure what your passion is, don’t sweat it. Your teen years are all about exploration and self-discovery, so take this summer to try something new.

Ever heard the phrase “variety is the spice of life”? When we do the same things over and over again, life can get a little dull. We also get stuck in comfortable ruts that are increasingly difficult to leave. Eventually, we’re so set in our ways that it’s hard to branch out and try new things- even when we really want to.

For this very reason, it’s important to train ourselves to be open to new experiences. In adulthood, success depends less on your former GPA and more on your ability to adapt. Life throws a lot of fastballs, so it’s critical to be able to roll with the punches. Trying new things keeps your mind flexible, keeping you from getting stuck in those hard to escape ruts.

Your brain is a pretty powerful thing. You already know it controls the long list of biological functions that keep you alive and that it gives you the power of thought, but it does even more than that. Your brain adapts to your environment, and somewhat like a muscle, the more you use it, the more efficiently it works. When you learn something new, more neural pathways are formed, increasing the speed at which you absorb new information.

During the process, you’ll also make connections between the new skills you learned and ones you already have, giving you an even bigger boost to your learning speed. For an added bonus, regularly learning new things helps protect your brain from dementia later in life. The short version? The more you learn, the faster you can learn it, and the healthier your brain will be.

Living a risk-free life might be safe, but without risk there’s little reward. Trying new things helps you to become confident in your ability to put yourself out there, even when it’s a little (or extremely!) nerve wracking. When we first try something new, it’s natural to feel a little uncomfortable or embarrassed, but making mistakes is nothing to be ashamed of. Getting comfortable with discomfort can help you grow, and will prepare you for anxiety-inducing situations once you get to college.

4. Allows you to understand yourself better Throwing yourself into college with no direction is rough, but it’s incredibly common. At 18, plenty of