Dear Sofia,
How can I stay productive over the summer?
Sincerely,
Avoiding Summer Slump
Dear Avoiding Summer Slump,
Staying productive over the summer is much easier than you might think! Local organizations offer many activities, or you can opt to do a project independently. Whatever you decide to do, staying active during the summer is important to improving personal development and maintaining critical academic skills learned during the school year.
Academic activities, like attending summer classes or research programs and getting summer homework done early are great ways to use your time. Starting a passion project would be a valuable resume booster and allow you to explore a topic that interests you. A summer job will help you gain important life skills while making money. These activities will keep your mind sharp for when the school year starts again.
Reading for enjoyment, creating a bucket list of fun summer activities, learning a new language, or trying a new sport or hobby are examples of less rigorous activities. Try to choose at least one fun activity to do over the summer to give your mind a break. Even though it’s important to keep up with academics, it is a break after all.
Work on your well-being! During the school year, it’s easy to fall short of taking care of yourself. Use the summer to work on your health. Try to exercise every day, spend more time outdoors, schedule important appointments, and pursue mental health activities like art, music, or gardening.
Look around the area for activities offered by local organizations, like the public library. Some may be fun for you to participate in directly or be a possibility to volunteer at. Volunteering is a great way to spend your summer, as it will keep you productive and make a positive impact on the community.
Staying productive over the summer is important, but what’s more imperative is that you balance out your workload. Summer is a time to recuperate from the exhaustion and rigor of the school year. Though I highly encourage you to stay busy, finding a balance of academic and less-structured activities is key!
Happy Summer!
Sofia
