Follow Your Curiosity: Why Summer Is the Perfect Time to Explore What Interests You
by Lisa Fairall | Jan 14, 2025
During the school year, life moves fast. Classes, homework, practices, and deadlines can leave little room to pause and ask a simple question: What am I actually curious about?
That’s why summer matters. With fewer obligations and more open space in your schedule, summer offers something rare—time to explore without pressure.
And here’s the good news: you don’t need a formal program or an impressive title to make summer meaningful. Some of the most powerful growth comes from following a small spark of interest and seeing where it leads.
Curiosity Is a Starting Point, Not a Plan
You don’t need to know exactly how something will turn out. Curiosity often starts with a simple thought:
I’ve always wanted to try that.
I wonder how this works.
What if I learned more about...
What matters is taking the first step—and letting curiosity guide the next one.
What Following Curiosity Can Look Like
Exploration can be playful, practical, or somewhere in between. For example:
Trying pickleball for the first time might start with a local class—but curiosity could turn into creating a pickleball club at school or organizing a small tournament for classmates.
Enjoying tinkering with Notion could lead to helping a small business streamline their daily workflow, organize projects, or manage tasks more efficiently.
Loving to create designs in Canva might evolve into designing social media posts, flyers, or graphics for a local business, nonprofit, or family friend.
Taking an online course through Coursera or your local community college could help you explore a subject you’ve always wondered about—psychology, coding, marketing, public health, or something entirely new.
Reading a great book can spark deeper thinking, new questions, or even a desire to write, research, or discuss ideas you’ve never considered before.
Craft projects could lead to opening a shop on etsy taking orders.
Why Colleges Care About Curiosity
Colleges aren’t looking for students who’ve done everything. They’re looking for students who engage. Students who ask questions, take initiative, and follow interests beyond the classroom.
When you follow your curiosity, you’re developing:
Independence
Problem-solving skills
Creativity
Motivation
A clearer sense of who you are and what you enjoy
These experiences often lead to stronger college essays, more authentic activities lists, and clearer academic direction—but even more importantly, they help you grow.
How to Get Started This Summer
If you’re not sure where to begin, ask yourself:
What do I enjoy doing when no one is grading me?
What do I Google or watch videos about for fun?
What have I always wanted to try but never had time for?
Who could I help with a skill I already have?
Summer doesn’t have to be packed to be productive. Sometimes, the most meaningful experiences begin with curiosity and the courage to follow it.
Give yourself permission to explore. You never know where a small interest might lead.