In a few weeks, high schools in the Philippines will hold their commencement exercises. To everyone who toiled through four years and made it, congratulations! College, the next chapter of your school life, will be harder but the challenge is all for the good. Some universities and colleges in the country will be resuming their classes not in June as it has been for ages, but in August. This is said to be one step in preparation for the Asean regional integration this year. This means that high school graduates would enjoy a longer vacation before starting college. While the roughly five-month break sounds great, it can get really long and boring for those with nothing to do. Here are some tips to make this summer break fun and worthwhile. 1) Travel A long vacation period allows you to go to places you’ve never been before, or maybe some which you might want to visit again. This is the perfect time to do so. 2) Hang out with your high school friends. Most likely you and your friends will be going off to different schools. You will be making new friends in college, but it is always good to maintain old ties. 3) Help prepare someone for his/her own journey to college. Summer is the time when incoming seniors in high school review for their college entrance exams. If you are lucky enough to have made it to the college of your choice, you can mentor someone to achieve the same thing. Give them pointers on how to take the test. 4) Earn some money. There are some summer jobs that do not require a college degree. This is a good way to earn some money, especially if you would not be getting allowance throughout the summer. 5) Learn something new, or hone your craft. College is not all about academics. There are lots of extra-curricular activities that await you. Do you want to refine your guitar-playing skills? Use the long break to do this. Who knows, a rising college band might be looking for somebody like you. There are, of course, other stuff you can do this summer. It’s just a matter of choosing which one suits you.

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