With school out, students have time to expand their horizons, academically, mentally and physically. Aside from taking summer classes or attending summer programs, there are many ways to improve your habits and how you spend your time. Here are three things you can start today:
Increasing daily activity:
Though we are told to exercise often, it gets confusing with the internet and people’s opinions making it a complicated task. I’m here to tell you that you don’t need an intense workout split or crazy exercises, you need to find the form of movement that you enjoy. I have tried different workouts such as lifting weights (strength), running (cardio) and pilates. Out of the three, I most enjoy pilates, so it’s what I’ve been doing and it helps me stay consistent because I look forward to doing it. I started to feel and see results once I started being consistent. So, doing a 30-40 minute workout three to four times a week depending on availability. This not only made me feel stronger, but helped me build habits that make my life better.
Exploring majors/career interests:
Sometimes I don’t understand how we are supposed to know what we want to do for the rest of our lives at the ages of 14-18. In reality, it’s ok if you don’t. There are things to do to see if you like certain topics or careers. One way is taking an online course or participating in a program for a certain subject you might be interested in. Another is to find someone in the career field of your choice and shadow them (watch what they do for work) to find out if that’s something you see yourself doing. There are other ways to explore your options but these are two examples to help you get started.
Hobbies:
After such a busy school year, there is finally time in the summer to dive into activities and hobbies you may not have had time for this year. Three hobbies I’m getting into for this summer are reading, journaling and drawing/painting. All of them are for fun, but they help keep me busy while taking care of myself.
Journaling is becoming one of my favorite hobbies. I write down everything in my journal, such as my thoughts, to do lists and goals. (Photo/Adiya Mukhitdinov)
