After a long, stressful semester, summer is the perfect way to wind down, spend time with friends and family, and catch some rays. For some students, summer means working, interning, or taking summer classes. Regardless of what your summer plans and obligations entail, here are some ways to make this the best summer yet.
According to Elite Daily, planning a trip is first on their list of ideas on how not to make this summer a bummer. Whether you are going to another country or staying close to home, getting away for a while is the perfect way to brighten your mood and alleviate whatever stress you may have.
Acquiring a new hobby is a great way to alleviate stress and acquire a new skill. Summer is the perfect time to learn how to cook, sew, and improve your writing or even scrapbook. This time off is a great excuse to get healthy and start working out or doing yoga. For those of you, who live locally, check out EvenFlow Yoga in Red Bank or Coba Yoga in Little Silver.
For those of you that find joy in helping others, get out and volunteer somewhere. Nonprofit organizations like Lunch Break in Red Bank or Boys & Girls Club of America, also in Red Bank, will gladly accept those willing to volunteer.
Professor of communication, Claude Taylor, gives his recommendations for making this summer the best one yet: “I think the first thing to do is deliberately schedule your plans to rest and relax. This means making a weekly or monthly schedule for when you plan to do things that help you rest. If you are a beach person, get a badge and pencil in your days at the beach. Second, I would recommend trying a new hobby or leisure activity that you’ve always wanted to try to just learned about. To me, it’s fun to learn new things.”
Learning new things can be a great experience, as long as time permits. For some, summer break is not really much of a break.
Many students take internships, work at part-time jobs, and catch up on earning credits with summer courses, or even study for gradate entrance exams. These students focus more on catching up or advancing their career rather than relaxing.
Natalie Toro, a junior biology student, said, “Being productive and getting closer to my goal is what would be the best summer. I am going to volunteer at the hospital while being a Resident Assistant, shadowing a doctor, and hopefully getting a part time job as a front desk assistant at an urgency care center.”
While some hope to continue works towards their goals this summer, others choose to enrich their lives with travel.
Kayla Cardona, a senior communication student, will make this summer a great one by doing more traveling. “Spring semester has been very stressful with school and work and applying for internships, but thankfully traveling has always been a remedy. There’s just something so euphoric about getting up and escaping for a while, even if it is just a day trip to a town I’ve never been before.”
This summer, let the sunshine energize you to take advantage of new opportunities and adventures. As the old adage states, life is what you make it, so keep the aforementioned tips in mind once you complete your finals and head home for the summer.
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