Summer is a time to relax and gain strength for the year ahead. It is also a time that should not be wasted. Is there a particular field of interest to you? If so, then summer is great for exploring it and perhaps gaining a hands-on experience. Living in the great city of New York, there are many opportunities.

I decided to take the opportunity (with a little persuasion from my parents) to apply to an engineering program at Cooper Union. I got in, yay! Besides getting experience in the field of my interest, I got a preview of what college is really like. It’s different from what we are used to, from the academics to the people. There is more freedom but there is also a lot more responsibility.

The first thing to strike me after meeting my group was how different we all were. All 5 boroughs were represented. Everyone was from a different high school. Some were from public schools, others from Manhattan private schools, and even from a Yeshiva. So, naturally we had a lot to discuss: the way our schools worked, what we did for fun, our hobbies and much more. Some of the kids had impressive resumes. Some examples were completing 7 AP classes by junior year, getting perfect scores on the SATs, and being leaders of their community. I realized that these people are going to be our competitors and colleagues, a bit of a scary thought.

Our purpose was to design research and perform an experiment. Unlike in high school, nothing but a bare idea is given to you. One must perform a detailed research to ensure safety. Can these chemicals be mixed together and not explode? With minimal supervision, we had to perform the experiment and hope for the best. That’s how it’s going to be in college and later in life. Actions can have terrible consequences if not carefully thought through.

There are a lot more responsibilities, but there are also fewer rules. During the break, you can go wherever you want. Luckily, Cooper Union is located in a great part of the city with lots of cheap restaurants. At about 12 noon, everyone crawls out of their offices for lunch. You become one of thousands of people who are trying to find a place to sit and eat. This experience may seem unpleasant, but I find it useful. It was like a window into the “real” world. That is how most people spend their daily lives.

These precious two months of summer must be enjoyed to the fullest, but not wasted. Have fun doing what you love to do or at least what you are interested in. Try something that is a learning experience, camouflaged as fun.