The Zinch Report

One of the most important things to keep in mind regarding your summer plans is that you need to be confident that what you're doing is the best use of your time given your circumstances, options, goals and idiosyncracies.

If you work at a summer camp in Vermont because you love the experience, the campers, the counselors and the opportunity to be in the woods all summer, great! You don't need to also work in a cancer research lab and organize a local blood drive. Stand behind your decisions and don't try to be someone you're not.

If you work in a cancer research lab because you love science and want to practice medicine someday, don't worry that you're not also at soccerbasketbaltennisswimmingtrack camp in preparation for your possible fourth year on the JV team. If you love science go with it and don't second guess yourself because of what you think colleges want to see.

Above all else, colleges and universities want to see authenticity in the presence of achievement. Do what you do best and prioritize those things. When you start to overload yourself you may be making inadvertant sacrifices in the areas of your best strengths. In the end, that does no one any good.