Five steps to Having a Great Summer Break!

1. If you take summer classes, then don’t take very many! Sure there are a few benefits to taking classes during the summer, getting it done, and having shorter classes. However, as study.com says, “Summer, to many, is about relieving school anxiety and cutting loose for a while. Instead of freaking out over homework and tests, you can see friends from your hometown, party, and just let all that stress go. Doing another class would just maintain that high stress level and no one in college wants to hit that burnout point if they can help it” (study.com). No student wants to deal with the stress of school 24/7! You need to have a break in there somewhere so you can relax. Plus, having a class in the summer makes it harder to have a summer job. It is hard to deal with being a student in tandem with working a time consuming job.

2. Spend about 15 minutes a day learning or reviewing educational stuff. While it is true that you shouldn’t take summer classes, it is also true that the things you learn during the school year seem to fall out of your memories during the long summer break. You need to review the things you learned in order to be up to date for the next coming school year.  Barbara Dianis, the writer of an article titled “Seven Ways to Prevent Summer Learning Loss.” says, “Set aside time….to read each day during the summer break -- 15 to 30 minutes per day is all it takes!...[It] also offers a great opportunity to preserve and strengthen….reading skills.” (Dianis, www.edutopia.org). If you don’t want to feel overwhelmed when you come back to school then spend some time reviewing. It will reduce the amount of anxiety and stress you experience when you eventually go back to school.

3. Go outside! You need to go outside and be active sometimes in order to stay healthy. The sun gives the body vitamin D, a very important vitamin essential to a healthy life. Plus, you don't want to be pasty right? Get that healthy tan. Another benefit of going outside during your summer is that it helps you sleep well.  Melissa Matthews, the writer of an article titled “Why You Need To Go Outside: Health Benefits Of The Outdoors,” details, A recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder indicated that campers were able to shift their internal clocks to a more natural state by sleeping outdoors. The study compared the internal clocks of those who stayed at home versus those sent on a weekend camping trip. The at-home participants stayed up later than normal, pushing their internal clocks back, while those who spent the time away shifted earlier.” Just spending some time outside in the form of a camping trip can help you get your sleep schedule back on track. If you want to wake up well rested every day than spend some time outside!

4. Eat healthy! The human body requires a lot of maintenance and won't feel its best unless you take care of it. If you fill your body with junk food you won’t be feeling that great later on, as it is very harmful to your health. Eating balanced meals with appropriate amounts of vegetables and fruits. Eating right will give you more energy throughout the day, help you be a happy person, give you self confidence, and help you sleep well. If you pair this with regular exercise then you will start to lose weight too! What's not to love about that!

5. Have fun! What is the point of summer break if not to give students a chance to have fun? Having fun reduces the amount of stress that you build up over the regular school year. Having fun during the summer can also reduce the amount of anxiety you get about the next year, as you know there will be a time where you can deal with the feelings that school gives you. Use these tips to have a good, healthy summer break!