Opinion

Opinion Roundup: Summer of Fun or Summer of Internships?

Amaya De Lorenzo, Opinion Roundup Manager • September 11, 2025

Students reflect on their summer activities and how a summer should be spent.

Summer is meant to be a time to step back from school, academic stresses, and to recharge for the next school year. However, the looming thought of college and life beyond high school start to appear as students become upperclassmen and this is especially the case during the summer where there is much time for reflection. As the new school year starts, The Classic interviewed students to reflect on how they spent their summer either as a time to recharge or to “get ahead.”

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“I didn’t do much this summer. I was trying to spend my time cherishing hanging out with my middle school friends before we all departed for high school. The pressure of college [is on my mind] since I want to attend a prestigious college. I would have to get an almost perfect SAT score, so I decided to study a lot for it during the summer. Although the summer was short, I believe that it allowed me to recover and get more energized. I wouldn’t mind if summer was just a week longer for me to fix my sleep schedule. I believe that a ‘summer of internships’ prepares you for the school year better because it allows you to get the experience you need for the future. Additionally, I think that one could balance a ‘summer of fun’ and a ‘summer of internships’ because you can be having fun and learning from internships at the same time. By relishing in the fun stuff you did during the summer, you can realize the importance of letting go of your stress and allowing yourself to feel calm.”

— Freshman Esther Chan

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“During the summer, I traveled to Japan with my family for fun. When I came back to New York, I went to a DNA research learning camp. However, I didn’t do any internships this summer. My parents worry about which college I’ll get into, so this summer I tried to relax as much as possible so that the next three years or so can be more about doing things to supplement my college application. This summer being the final summer I can ‘relax’ is pretty upsetting. No matter what I think, summer break is going to feel too short, but I think it’s enough for me to prepare for the coming year.”

— Sophomore Sena Shew

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“My summer consisted of test preparations, studying, and spending time with my family and friends. I didn’t really do any internships this year. The pressure of college definitely made me think more seriously about how I spent my summer, so I did more studying than relaxing. My friends were either preparing for the SAT or having the time of their lives. There is never enough time or break for me to feel ready. I say this because my break went by way too fast, and I kind of wish I enjoyed myself more. I think a ‘summer of fun’ better prepares me to return to school for sure. Having as much fun as you can allows you to release whatever stress you have so that you won’t actively crash and burn out during the school year. However, it is possible for there to be a balance between a ‘summer of fun’ and a ‘summer of internships.’ A balance would positively impact students’ lives by allowing a healthy mental state and approach to school.”

— Junior Amber Liu

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“This summer, I did a summer program at the CUNY School of Law institute which was the only ‘academic’ program I participated in. The pressure of college greatly affected my summer as the stress of applications and studying for the SAT was constantly on my mind. Most of my friends spent their summer working, which put pressure on me since I have no work experience. Comparing where you are with where your friends are adds to your stresses and allows for overthinking for sure. Although summer break is relatively long, I do not feel ready to finalize college applications anytime soon. I know that once we have assignments in class, everything will become overwhelming very quickly. I think a mix of both a ‘summer of fun’ and a ‘summer of internships’ would be the best preparation for school as the former helps prepare your mentality, while the latter helps you gain the experiences you need for your future. I think a summer of only one without the other would not be helpful.”

— Senior Josephine Furst

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“If the school year was designed to be most beneficial for student brains, it would be year round with more frequent, shorter breaks. Summer brain drain is real. While students definitely deserve and have earned a nice vacation, if they spend July and August doing nothing that stimulates their brains, all of what they learned the previous school year starts fading away. So, a long summer break isn’t really good for students from an academic standpoint. From a ‘OMG I need a break’ perspective, summer is awesome. It’s a great time for a job, to travel, or to see friends. But, I think that no matter how long Summer Recess is, it will never feel long enough for students. This is both because they have to return to school, but also because the break has been so long, school is no longer part of their normal routine. I don’t know if a ‘summer of fun’ or a ‘summer of internships’ is better. I think a lot of it depends on the student, their goals, the year they have experienced, etc. If they were working really hard all year, some time to be young and have fun is important. Now is the time to take advantage of having time. But for some students, an internship might be the right call. They are great experiences, teach all sorts of skills-both hard and soft, and look good when applying to college. I just think it’s important for students to remember that they are still kids, even THHS students. l think a balance of a ‘summer of fun’ and a ‘summer of internships’ is probably the best of both worlds and should be the goal.”

— Parent Coordinator Jodie Lasoff

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About the Contributor

Bella Chen, Sports Photography Editor

Bella is a senior at Townsend Harris High School who hopes to pursue a career that gives her the opportunity to help people. Outside of journalism, she enjoys playing volleyball and cooking. Her favorite Classic piece she worked on is Scenes from Prom 2024, where she remembers the seniors’ happy faces and the delicious ice cream. Her favorite Classic piece made by others is an article titled “Mr. Wang Retires After Ten Years Serving as a THHS Guidance Counselor,” by Intishar Chinho. Mr. Wang was her guidance counselor and she agreed with all the kind things said about him.