TIPS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS ON HOW TO USE YOUR SUMMER BREAK TO THE FULLEST You’ve completed your finals, packed up your dorm room, and left for good (or down the street if you live close to your school).
You probably feel like doing nothing mentally taxing for the next few months after nine months of late-night studying sessions and nonstop lectures.
That’s not my fault, though!
Although it may sound wonderful to spend the entire summer lounging on the sofa, there are actually far better activities you could be doing to not only get your head in the proper place but to also be ready for the upcoming school year.
Here are some of my best advice for college students looking to maximize their summer vacation:
PLAN A FUN OUTING OR ACTIVITY You deserve some time to unwind and engage in enjoyable activities.
While some college students are fantastic at taking summer vacations, others believe they are unable to do so because of a lack of cash.
Thankfully, there are lots of free and inexpensive solutions available.
For illustration, you could:
Play sand volleyball, flag football, or some other enjoyable sport every week in a nearby park. Visit a lake or beach nearby for a day excursion to relax and grill out. Visit the water park or pool. Take a hike Try your hand at a DIY project (Pinterest, anyone? Exercise with a buddy Have a spontaneous picture shoot Read a book that has nothing to do with academics. 
FOR UPCOMING INTERNSHIPS, APPLY If you intend to complete an internship during the upcoming academic year, you should start researching the companies that provide internships and the deadlines for applications.
Some businesses finish their application processes months in advance so they have time to evaluate everything and conduct interviews with their best applicants because the field can be competitive.
This stage could be switched out for the creation of your resume and cover letter if you aren’t yet prepared to apply for internships.
VOLUNTEER One of the finest methods to gain work experience (and prospective references) without devoting a lot of time is by volunteering.
With so many options for groups and jobs, your chances of finding something that not only fits your interests but also your schedule are good.
ESTABLISH A ROUTINE You most likely established a schedule during the school year by attending classes, extracurricular activities, etc.
It’s all too easy to fall out of a pattern during the summer, which can be problematic when it’s time to return to school in the fall.
Basically, you want to establish a convenient wake-up time and a time to go to bed each day to support keeping your body on a regular schedule. You can still enjoy those late weekend evenings, so don’t worry!
Even if you focus on establishing a regular schedule throughout the final month of the summer vacation, you’ll find it much simpler to adjust once classes resume. My advice is to start adjusting your wake-up and bedtimes to reflect what they would be like during the school year approximately a month before you return.
So, if I had a lesson at 9, I might want to start getting up at 7:30 and retiring at 11:00 every day. For the final few weeks of the summer, I’ll start going to bed at 11 and waking up at 7:30 to get my body ready for this routine.
I can honestly say that using this strategy made it SO much simpler for me to get back into the swing of things at school.
Creating the Ideal Morning Routine: 7 Ways to Begin Your Day Right
GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS You may need to catch up if you attended a school that is far from your home and pals. Make plans to visit your loved ones for lunch, dinner, or a trip so that you can catch them up on all the excitement of the school year and learn about their life as well.
PLAN YOUR SAVINGS The summer months may be rather expensive, especially if you keep getting invitations to go out.
Start creating a weekly and/or monthly budget so that you are clear on how much money you have available to spend. This will help you stay on target. Learning this ability will be very beneficial for you once you graduate and enter the working world.
Here is a free budget template for college students to assist you.
CONSIDER, ADJUST, AND WIN We can all do better, and I’m sure there were a few things this school year (*clears throat* staying up late studying for an exam) that didn’t always work in your favor.
Spend some time considering what didn’t work (try to list at least three), write it down, and then brainstorm ideas you could try the following semester.
If it helps, you might want to create a chart or other visual representation of this that you can bring back to campus. Consider pinning it on a wall next to your desk or another prominent location. You should be able to modify your behaviors and overcome the obstacles you encountered thanks to the frequent reminder!
And lastly, enjoy yourself! Although it should go without saying, there are times when we become so engrossed in our hectic schedules that we fail to actually do the things we enjoy.
Try making a summer bucket list if you like making lists of things to do! If you want to spend your break with a lot of people, try finding a partner for each activity. This is a fantastic way to catch up while also having fun!
What are some of your favorite summertime activities?
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