Spending the Summer after GCSEs! Ava Van Dyke, Townley Grammar School

Whilst I can’t take away that dread, I can give you some things to look forward to.  

The summer holiday after your GCSE exams in regarded by some as the best summer of your life. Exams are done and so is the mega stressful Year 11. 

So… how can you spend this extra-long, highly anticipated few eeks?  

Heres some ideas, hopefully in this list you will find something that can make GCSEs a little bit more bearable.  

Prom!  

This is often the start of  many post-GCSE summers. It’s not only a fabulous way to celebrate completing your exams, it’s also a fun send-off for you and your friends. Dress to impress, dance and party- without a care in the world. And if your school does not organise a prom for you, try and band together some friends to organise your own, even if its small.  

Holiday with friends!  

Of course, taking a holiday in the summer is an immense privilege and taking one with your friends (alone!) is profound- your parents have let you stay away from home for a few days. Lucky you! Depending on the airline, its fairly easy to fly under 18. So, book cheap flights and explore a new country for a couple days, spending bittersweet time with your mates. But who says you have to fly abroad? Take the train! Or, stay in England, exploring go to a new area. Maybe camp? It’s cheap and an experience you won’t forget.  

Music festivals! 

Linking to my last point, holidays with friends, music festivals are a popular choice for teens. Popular ones include Reading and Leeds, Boardmasters, Glastonbury and other lesser-known ones (but recommended from me) include Wilderness, Latitude and Bestival. Camping festivals are perfect too, you can stay for a weekend and really immerse yourself in the concert and camping experience.  

Volunteering!

Volunteering is extremely versatile, and a surprisingly fun way to spend your time. One exciting way to volunteer is to be a youth group or summer camp leader. Join your local Scouts or Brownies and experience a different kind of summer! 

Get a summer job!

Similar to volunteering…… the main difference being of course you get paid! Try and find simple, safe jobs in your area and get some work experience (and some extra cash) over the holidays. Working in the summer is great because you won’t have to balance school on top.  

I hope you found this article useful, remember that even if you don’t check any of these off, find fun things you enjoy doing and make sure to spend time with friends before you leave for your new schools. Good luck on your GCSEs!