by Shezad Khan

It’s already week nine of spring term, which means summer break is very, very close. I’m incredibly relieved and excited for the three month escape from schoolwork. Since I took classes last summer, I’ve been craving an extended amount of down time. If you’re anything like me, however, that down time can lead to some extreme boredom and sluggishness.

For me, it’s important to stay active during summer break – both physically and mentally. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a drink or ten to celebrate the end of the school year and/or your graduation or sit on the couch and binge watch five different shows on Netflix – go ahead, you’ve earned it – but it does mean making sure that kind of behavior doesn’t become cyclical and negative. This is especially important for those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression.

Something that I’m going to do to make sure my summer break is productive is keep a list of goals. I know, super cliché, right? But it will definitely help. Here are some of the goals that I’m setting for myself:

• Read: I want to finish at least ten books over the course of this summer break. I don’t have enough time to read for pleasure during the school year, so I want to make my time off count.

• Play Soccer: Playing soccer a few times a week is not only fun, but very healthy as well.

• Look for internships/apply for scholarships: Yes, unfortunately, some work does have to be down over summer break. Grad school is coming up, and it’s not cheap. Looking for internships that apply to my field will help me find a career down the line. And with scholarships, well, who doesn’t need extra money?

• Work, work, work: Summer break is a great time to try and boost your hours at work. Work may be stressful sometimes, but it’s a lot less stressful when you don’t have to worry about schoolwork on top of it.

These are just a few goals I have for myself to make sure my break is well-spent and productive. I would urge all of you to find your own goals. It really is good for you.