It’s sad how many high achieving students don’t have an answer to the “What do you do for fun?” question. (Not one that really makes them light up, anyway).
Do you have an answer? Is it a real one, or just another reason to talk about something you think will help you get into college?
“I’ve played the violin for eight years” is a line from a resume, not an answer about what you do for fun.
But…“I love playing country music on the violin; nobody in the orchestra can play a mean fiddle like I can.”
Now we’re talking.
There’s such a thing as being too focused on getting into college. If you make every decision based on how it will play out in college admissions, you’re going to come off like a drone who’s motivated more by a sense of competition then you are by real passion. And you aren’t going to have any fun.
So yeah, take hard classes. Study for your SATs. Stay up late preparing for your chemistry midterm. But goof off a little, every now and then, too. Play some video games. Throw a Frisbee. Throw water balloons. Be a kid for crying out loud.
Colleges want students who are hard workers. But they also want people who enjoy having a little fun. Show them you know how to do both.