For most Excelsiorites, summer marks a clear change of rhythm! Whether it’s travelling or just kicking back and relaxing, this is the time for students to have fun! During the holidays, whether it is parents or students, we all are SO much more relaxed. This gives us (and especially students) the freedom to be creative and focus on activities and habits that make us better versions of ourselves. But the problem? Rarely do we do! We are so focused on relaxing and being lazy, that we end up spending the entirety of our holidays this way. Then in the final weeks, we rush to get back into gear and get back into the grind.
But what if we told you, there IS a better way to enjoy your holidays. These activities and ‘habits’ not only keep you productive but ensure minimum effort when we get back for our next semester. In fact, diligent good habits such as these may even prepare you to take the next semester stress-less and head on!
Taking the time to during holidays to focus on good habits is a really smart thing to do and surprisingly easy! So keep this list in mind, as a starting point for working towards indulging in positive habits and, ultimately, preparing yourself for success & sound mental, and physical health, throughout your holidays!
The Habit of Reading in Free Time
Reading is SO important. And in today’s day and age of technology, it is super easy to access good reads. (Ever heard of kindle?) Sure, it is so much fun it is to sit on Instagram or watch Netflix all day. But we should really be limiting how much we do that to a specific time, and indulging in some good books. It may sound like a task at first, but a good read will keep you hooked and improve your vocabulary! (Enough to make your friends jealous, and your English Teacher really happy) But honestly, reading plays an important part in helping your intellectual, cultural and emotional development. It also improves language skills and gives you a much needed exposure to new ideas and concepts. So go ahead, get lost in a good book!
The Habit of Exercising
How HARD is it to dedicate exercising time every day! (Especially when you have to go back to school in a couple of weeks… Ugh) But who said working out needs to be boring? Just like eating healthy (And we will get to that in a second) Another good summertime activity is taking up sports! Pick your favourite sport, join a club, or just grab a few friends and make a fun meet out of it! Sports are a good way to ensure you get your daily physical activity without the boring repetition of exercise. Sports not only ensure an active lifestyle but also help you in being more disciplined, committed, and keep you healthy and motivated! (Remember that thing about good habits that will help you in coming back to school? Yeah!)
Also, being outside in nature is really important! After all, you gotta get some of that fresh air and exercise to look your best when you come back next semester and see your friends!
The Habit of Eating Healthy
We know… So many of you look at your veggies, cringe and think about that really unhealthy but tasty thing you could be having right now… What if we told you that healthy food doesn’t need to be boring? (Get your parents in on this!) We are all smart enough to know that we need good snack-y alternatives that give us our daily dose of protein, nutrients, whole grains, natural sugars, and healthy fats. Need to grab a quick snack? Grab a protein bar! They are super delicious, and filled with not just all the good nuts and fruits, but even chocolate! Not only is a healthy snack better for you, but it is way more satisfying and keeps the energy levels up. When it comes to your food, feel free to experiment with new things instead of the usual. Or have 5 healthy elements for 1 the one delectable sin in your meals!
The Habit of Sleeping Enough & On Time
Sure surfing the internet is fun, but let’s get real, you’ve been doing it all day anyway. So as far as sleeping is concerned, these holidays you have no reason to not get enough of it! The average school student needs 8 hours of sleep per night. And sleeping healthy over the holidays will help you carry that over to when you get back to school. So might as well stay on top of your game and sleep healthy! Want to know what not sleeping enough does? A lack of sufficient sleep can lead to reduced efficiency, concentration, memory, and logical reasoning, as well as cause problems with blood pressure and hormone functions. So make sure you catch those Z’s this summer!
Follow these good habits this summer so that you may function at your peak and so that these vacations are truly stress-free! A schedule such as this will definitely help you carry good habits into the school year so that you can feel more relaxed in times of high stress. And feel free to add more to the list! So Excelsiorites, keep in mind to do the things you love and making time above all else, for yourself. Have fun and see you next semester!
