For most of us last year, finding out we'd be getting an extra week out of school was a dream come true. While the pandemic has brought its challenges, it can be hard for some of us knowing that we won't be getting a a six month spring break... so here's how to get the most from this one week and have the most unforgettable spring break ever.
By Ava Kesler
Identify your goals
Whether or not you realize it, you are entering the break with a few goals in mind. Maybe you are looking forward to the sleep, the freedom to live off of YouTube all night, or simply the chance to catch up on homework. Regardless, it is important that you figure out what you want going into the break, and to keep it in mind while you are enjoying your week off, in order to avoid regrets when it's over.
The worst thing you can experience is having a perfectly good week just fly by because of bad time management.
Follow through with your plans
Ok so now you have your goals, but what next? It's only so much to write down your ideas, you have to actually take some action to get them done too.
Make a to-do list of everything you want to get done. Here's an example:
Rearrange closet
Review physics
Exercise every day
Read a book
This list is meant to span the entire spring break, not a single day. Even if it looks smaller than the lists you usually have, go with it. The point of spring break is to have a break and do all the things you wish you could have done during the regular school day, including fun things, so make it a point to get around to just lying around and enjoying yourself.
Balance yourself
Make sure you don't overdo or underdo it with your list.
There needs to be a healthy amount of everything on your list, and while this varies a lot based on the type of person you are, here are some general guidelines.
1. Pick only your hardest class to study during the break.
Unless you have a really pressing situation with exams immediately after the break, it is best to push all schoolwork aside until the weekend prior to school at the earliest.
Besides the fact that you are more likely to burn out otherwise, you also don't have the pressure to finish in time to meet a deadline, and it can become a lot harder to be productive. You don't want to find yourself spending even more time than whatever assignment you are trying to do would take you.
Therefore it's best to just pick the hardest class or two that you struggle the most with, and take some time to study up. This could be review, tutoring, YouTube explanations, and plenty more. There are tons of revision help guides publicized on Instagram too that could be of help.
2. Plan to do some of your hobbies
If you've ever found yourself pushing off some exercise or recreational activities during school because you had too much homework, then now is the time to pick up those activities. One of the main reasons we alternate between classes each day is to keep ourselves from becoming too burnt out on one thing, and the same applies here.
Spending all year working on school won't make you successful if you don't have some other outlet for your creative side.
So take a hobby, physical activity, art, music, baking, anything you like to do for fun, and do it!
3. Get some housework done
I don't know about you guys, but I am constantly making messes in my home workspace for school. Papers and pens are just everywhere. Take the time to go through your things and make sure everything is organized and purposeful. The process is super relaxing, and you will absolutely thank yourself later.
4. Hang out with friends
What friends you might ask? Well, I'm not talking about BFF's, those are one in a million. Simply get together with some classmates or people you do an extracurricular with and hang out. You could go to the movies, out to a restaurant, walk in downtown, or simply go to a nature area.
Being around people is a super crucial aspect of development, besides the fact that it's super fun!
You'll get new impressions, maybe some fresh "tea," and some nice memories. The only way you'll find your group is if you just get started with someone!
While you don't have to be besties to hang out, make sure you aren't getting involved with some people who are mean, and who you would rather not deal with. It's important to remember your worth, regardless how much you might want friends, because fake friends are no friends.
But if there's someone who you are kind of interested in getting to know, just take a chance and invite them over. Nothing will happen if you simply make a nice gesture and invite them, the worst they can say is no. (Stay tuned for an article all about rejection and friendships).
Be excited!
Hey if it's your spring break, have a good time! At the end of the day, all that really matters is that you enjoy yourself and just live your life.
Whatever that means to you, go out and do it! And if the day wasn't how you wished it to have been by the end of the day, then just hurry up and finish it off right!
I hope you all have a fantastic break and a nice time off from school! Make sure to share this with your friends and let us know here at MyMindsMap if you have any certain topics covered in the future! We will be happy to cover them!
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