Making the Most of Summer Break

Summer break is a great opportunity for students to switch off, relax or travel. It’s important to make the most of it. EDTL intern Kyle Wright offers some tips.

Burn-out has become more and more common amongst students and academic staff since the beginning of 2020. With the stress and uncertainty of remote and blended learning, everyone has endured more stress in and around the classroom. That’s why it’s important to make the most of the time we have off over the summer months to rest, recover and enjoy the freedoms associated with that.

It’s always easy to say ‘I’ll do this’ or ‘I’ll go there’ when we discuss the prospect of time off, but it is all too easy after a long stint of projects, classes and exams to get into the habit of sleeping in, staying up bingeing movies and games or just generally doing nothing all that productive. Although all of these things are wholly important to do when we have the chance to unwind, we can often look back on these things with regret if they aren’t balanced with other activities that can stimulate us and give us that well needed stress relief. Here are a few tips that could help you get the most out of the free time you have off this summer.

Maintain Your Space

The last two years of staying inside has either done two things; made us really like staying in our own space and enjoying our own company, or the complete opposite. Either way, it’s important that you are comfortable in your own personal space, such as your bedroom. One thing that I learned from preferring the former, is that keeping my personal space clean, tidy and organised has huge positive effects on my mood. It’s inevitable that with so much time off from classes, we will all end up spending more time at home. Keeping your space tidy and organised is can be huge stress reliever, helping you stay relaxed.

Reduce Your Screen Time

Another certainty – the late night doom scrolling. It happens to us all. Sitting on the phone, TV or console into the late hours doesn’t do us any favours. Our eyes, brain and body are all effected by the late night screen time. Setting a time to shut off the screen and turn over for a good night’s sleep doesn’t only ensure you wake up refreshed, but it has a lasting effect on your mood day-to-day. With a better sleep pattern, you’ll develop a routine of waking up at a good time, giving you plenty of daylight to do things with friends, exercise, or just get some sunshine. We all love a good late night when we know we don’t have anything on the following day, but it’s important to not make a habit out of it, as it just becomes harder to get back into a routine once September comes and classes start again.

Try Something New

Another fantastic way to keep the brain stimulated is to try something new, such as learning an instrument, picking up a sport or getting into reading. Keeping the brain active with meaningful activities that require thought and concentration will not only keep your brain active, but it will keep you occupied and help maintain your mood. One of the main reasons we lose concentration is because we are understimulated, so learning a new skill or trying something outside of your norm can help keep you focused and relaxed.

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