Picture this. The bell rings for the final time, and it’s summer break! One of the most exciting times of the year. Finally, you are released from all school obligations and are left with complete freedom. Three months to do whatever you want, but will your choice of activities be productive or meaningless?
Often, we instinctively participate in activities over the summer that benefit us, such as jobs, camp, leadership opportunities, and more. Each student embarks on a journey with a multitude of freedoms, gaining new forms of independence and life lessons they would have never expected.
HBHA freshman Rhys Pabst spoke about his 2025 summer outing, a three-week backpacking program called Widjiwagan. As Pabst explained what he obtained from his experience, he said, “It showed me that I can be on my own…[and] I definitely think it grew my mental toughness.”
“If I’m in a hard situation, I can definitely tell myself I’ve done harder things before,” he said. Amidst all the fun Pabst was having trekking through Canada, he was acquiring and strengthening new skills, like endurance, which translates to sports.
Opportunities such as his allow for a sense of freedom, but can also feel restricting and limited. Pabst committed himself to this adventure with no ability to turn back: “It’s really hard and you can’t escape it once you’re there.”
Traveling out of the country can be equally as challenging, as you are far from home, but these unique experiences often come with numerous benefits unattainable elsewhere.
Maggie Goldberg, a senior at Blue Valley North, voiced her opinion when she said, “I think that if you’re given the chance to get out of the country as young as you can, I think it’s great because it helps you grow so much as a person and learn more about what you want from a younger age.”
Goldberg attended a Passport Trip through Spain and Portugal, and though the trip came with many unknowns, she expressed, “It helped me learn about how to rely on myself when far away from home.”
Photo provided by Maggie Goldberg
A recurring theme among younger students attending new summer explorations is fear of the unknown, but this skill alone, stepping out of your comfort zone, is arguably one of the primary skills for developing independence. “When you’re gone for that long, for two weeks, you have to learn how to balance your social battery while still having fun and taking care of yourself,” she said.
Goldberg had a personal, unique experience as she was simultaneously balancing her Type 1 Diabetes. Constantly on the clock, she was forced to be entirely prepared with all her medical supplies because in Europe, they do not have the same tools she needs.
Self-sufficiency is a skill everyone is forced to learn eventually. “I think that the trip made me a lot stronger with social situations going into senior year,” Goldberg said. As college creeps up on students across the world, it is even more critical to find your success plans before you are forced to.
In addition to traveling the world, another common summer experience many young Jewish individuals attend is an overnight summer camp, which is sure to prepare them for future endeavors.
Former Herzl Camp attendee and HBHA Alumni Jonathan Edelman emphasized the impact of his camp experience when he said, “In adulthood, it was the things that I learned as a counselor that not only am I consciously aware helped me, but that I see especially in working environments that people that didn’t have that camp experience very much lack, and it’s kind of astounding.”
Camps often tend to focus on specific life lessons that are meant to be absorbed subconsciously, yet quickly and easily resurface when put in a real-life situation.
Edelman recalled one key skill he learned at camp that he continues to use throughout life: the idea of looking at the bigger picture.
This concept is utilized in a large organization or community at a time when there might be something you quickly recognize as the most urgent issue. Everyone must stop and comply with what you want to do. However, if you take a moment, step back, and look at the bigger picture of the entire institution, you will realize that your urgent issue might not benefit everyone right now, and you should hold off.
“It has helped me immensely in my professional career,” Edelman said, “I see people who don’t know the big picture who could benefit from it.”
Each unique summer experience puts you in a position where “you’re thrust into independence,” as Edelman confirmed.
Summer may feel like pure freedom, but each adventure, whether abroad, at camp, or in the wilderness, quietly shapes resilience, independence, and identity. These experiences not only prepare students for the future but also leave lasting lessons that resurface long after the season ends.
