SUMMER PLANNING WORKSHEET

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ________________ Email: ____________________________________

This worksheet will help you set overarching goals, consider your options, and choose which activities to accomplish this summer. The
steps below will help guide you through the process, and this list of summer activities and resources will support the brainstorming
process in Step 4. [This list is not exhaustive; feel free to add your ideas by emailing brilauka@jhu.edu.]
This process is designed to be completed and discussed with a friend, classmate, advisor, or other trusted person (AKA: “partner”).
Completing this form in writing will help you maintain focus and motivation throughout the summer. The reflection prompts in Steps 7-8
will help you track and articulate your goals and accomplishments for future internship, research, and employment opportunities.
Directions

• Complete Steps 1-4 as directed below (~45 minutes), then take a break and complete Steps 5-6 the next day (~40 minutes).
• Complete Step 7 with your selected partner mid-summer, then complete Step 8 with your advisor at the end of the summer.

Step 1: Create Accountability (1 minute)

Who is the friend, mentor, advisor, or other person with whom you will complete this process and check in regularly to track your
progress toward your summer plans? ____________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Establish Prior Commitments & Time Available (2 minutes)

What activities or responsibilities have you already committed to this summer? (e.g., classes, sibling care, work, etc.)
Activity Hours/week Start date End date

Based on this, how much time/how many weeks do you want to devote to other activities? What’s realistic? (Note: there are 15 weeks
between the last day of finals (May 14) and the first day of fall classes (August 31).

Contact: Bri Lauka, brilauka@jhu.edu 1

Edited: 5/5/2020
Step 3: Clarify Goals/Values (15-20 minutes)
Let’s start by talking about your goals for school, your career, and life. What do you hope to do and achieve this summer? ...at
Hopkins? ...after Hopkins? What matters most to you? Reflect on why these goals are important to you:
My Goals: Why is this important to me / what values it embodies:
Academic

Career

Personal
(family,
friends,
relationships,
health, etc.):

Reflect: How did you work toward achieving these goals during the past academic year?
Who did you connect with? Do you have a mentor?

What was a memorable conversation/experience? Why?

What did you learn about yourself/academic interests?

When did you feel motivated/energized?

What skills did you gain/enhance?

What were you most proud of?

How will your future be better if you continue working toward these goals?

**Share your responses with your partner. Then, continue independently below.

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Step 4: Brainstorm Summer Options (15 minutes)
Summer Options: What activities would you like to do this summer? Using this list of summer activities & resources as a guide,
choose 6-12 activities in various categories with varying levels of commitment. Choose at least one item from each category to start.
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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12

***take a short break – 15-20 minutes***

Now, take ~5 minutes to go deeper and add more detail to each item in your table above. Be specific: which fall course do you want to
self-study for? What club do you want to reach out to about ideas for next year? What research topic or faculty member do you want to
learn more about? Which online journal app will you use, and what will you write about?
Discuss with your partner: Share your list out loud with someone and ask them to tell you where you sound most excited or if they
notice anything else as you talk about your ideas (if your partner is also completing this worksheet, do the same for them).
Notes:

*If applicable, think about your partner’s list: where is there overlap? Is there anything you can work together to accomplish? Are there
resources you or your partner can suggest to help accomplish each other’s ideas?
Notes:

After getting feedback, which activity from your list sounds most delightful to you, regardless of feasibility? ______________________
***TAKE A BREAK – finish Steps 5-6 tomorrow***
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Step 5: Prioritize (20 minutes)
Use the prioritization table below to rate the options on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high).
• Resources: Where are you on time, money, skills, contacts for each option? Is it feasible?
• Likability: How much do you “like” each option?
• Confidence: How confident do you feel about each option?
• Coherence: How coherent is this activity with your goals and values from Step 3?
# Activity Resources Likability Confidence Coherence
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2
3
4
5
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7
8
9
10
11
12

Discuss your ratings with your partner. Ask for feedback or input if you want it. Share any internal conflict, uncertainty, concerns, or
ambivalence you are feeling about certain activities.
Final Cut: Whittle your list down to the top 3-5 items you think are the best use of your time and will bring you the most joy. If you get to
more on your list this summer, great! But identify the top items you will commit to completing this summer. Make sure to include at least
1 item from the self-care category!
# Goal Estimated time to complete
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2
3
4
5

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Step 6: Create a Plan (20 minutes)
Set specific, measurable, achievable, timely goals for each activity:
What specifically will you How will you measure What resources will you What is your first/next When will you complete
GOAL accomplish? completion? need to complete this goal? step? this goal?

Plan for Distractions: What barriers might keep you from reaching your goals this summer? What steps can you take to you prevent
or overcome these barriers?

What traits or strengths of yours will help you take the next steps toward these goals?

How will you feel if you don’t accomplish your goals for this summer?

How confident are you on a scale from 0 (least) to 10 (most) about carrying out your plan? _____________________________
***Share your plan with your selected partner, and schedule your follow-up meeting!
We will meet at (time) _____________ on (date) ________ via (mode) _____________________.
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Step 7: Check in with your partner/advisor (20 minutes)
Review each goal in your plan at least once around midway through the summer. Respond to the questions below to prepare for
your meeting. Write out your responses so you can reference them later for job applications, grad school materials, etc.
What has brought you the most joy so far this summer?

What are you most proud of so far this summer?

On a scale of 0 (least) to 10 (most), how satisfied are you with your progress toward your goals? Explain.

What barriers have arisen that were expected or unexpected?

Is there anything you can change or do differently to improve your success?

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Step 8: Reflect on your Summer (20 minutes)
Plan a follow up meeting with your academic advisor, faculty advisor, or mentor to discuss your summer’s successes, challenges,
and next steps. Respond to the questions below to prepare for your meeting. Document your responses so you can reference them
later for job applications, grad school materials, etc.
What brought you the most joy this summer?

What are you most proud of from this summer?

On a scale of 0 (least) to 10 (most), how satisfied are you with your progress toward your goals? Explain.

What barriers arose that were expected or unexpected?

How will you document your accomplishments? (e.g., resume, website, portfolio, etc.)

What will you continue or build on from this summer’s accomplishments?

What did you learn about yourself from this process?