By the time April and May is upon us, more than a few high school and college students long for the lazy, hazy days of summer break.  But once the thrill of being out of school is gone, and the luxury of having nothing pressing to do wears off, it’s amazing how quickly the boredom can set in.

To help you make the most of summer vacation—and best use this free time as a springboard to future educational opportunities and career possibilities—I’d like to suggest a little advance planning.

By adding the following four tasks to your summer to-do list, you can achieve a better balance between scheduled activities and spontaneous fun.  The result will be a more interesting, enjoyable and productive summer all around.