I’ve often reminded seniors and their parents that the most important objective of a college interview is for a student to demonstrate that he or she can have a mature, relaxed conversation with an adult. Colleges reason that a high school student who can do this will be more likely to interact confidently and maturely with professors, advisors, mentors, etc.

But a student doesn’t have to wait until the interview to demonstrate that skill.

Part-time jobs. Volunteer opportunities. Study abroad programs. Even working closely with a teacher or counselor–all of these are opportunities for students to learn how to interact comfortably with someone who’s long since left high school behind.

There’s no need for you to move away from activities filled with your fellow teens—most college students spend more time with peers than they do with adults. But one measure of any high school activity’s value is whether or not you’re learning anything from it. Don’t forget that you might be able to learn more than you expected by just logging some grown-up time.