Time to roll down the windows, feel the breeze and embrace the sunshine — summer is upon us!
Whether you're interning at a fancy firm, satisfying your wanderlust or binging Netflix, take a minute and map out a plan to take advantage of this momentary respite from school. Here are a number of ideas to not only up your overall productivity and enrich your day-to-day life, but also improve your mood, mental clarity, and health.
1. Cultivate an interest
Invest in a beginner camera and head outdoors. Hit the beach with some friends and learn how to ride the waves. Dust off the guitar and learn a new fingerpicking song. There's literally no better time to pick up a hobby.2. Fix Your sleep schedule
As tempting as it is, just because there are no more 8 A.M.s doesn't mean you should stay up late. In fact, it's the opposite. After trudging through the semester as sleep deprived zombies, make an effort to get your sleeping schedule back on track. Sleep at a normal time and if need be, indulge in that snooze button to catch up on the ZZZs you lost during the school year.
3. Spend quality time with family
Show the family some appreciation by cooking them a three-course dinner, complete with post-meal dishwashing and a drive to the theaters for a summer comedy. Sounds like a great night to me.
4. Exercise and work out
Alright. You have no more classes. No more projects or homework. No more extracurricular commitments. No more social distractions and obligations. What excuse is there not to hit the gym now? Exactly. None.5. Explore new places
Don't be a bore who enviously scrolls through others' social media. Trust me, they aren't having that much fun. Live vicariously through yourself and make some travel plans of your own! Also, contrary to popular belief, you do not have to Snapchat/Instagram the trip for it to have happened. Try and live in the moment!
6. Read
Before you get out your pitchforks, hear me out. Reading used to be fun, remember? It still is, if only we could put down our phones and rekindle our love for the books. For the practical folk, there are a variety of self-help books that offer invaluable life insights. For the rest of us, Hogwarts is still there, waiting for our return visit.