Making The Most Of The Summer Holidays
The summer holidays are a well-deserved break, for both teachers and students.
An intense year of studying and tests should be rewarded by winding down and taking time out.
Although relaxing is necessary, being productive during this time is important and will prevent boredom and summer learning loss.
Why not take the six-week break to find something that inspires you? There are so many activities, organisations and hobbies to get involved in this summer.
Here are some ideas on how to spend your summer:
Apply for National Citizen Service
The National Citizen Service is for people aged 15-17. It is a 4-week program in 4 phases: adventure, discovery, social action and celebration. This action-packed program develops talent and provides a range of new skills that look great on a CV.
Find out more here: httpss://www.ncsyes.co.uk
Get Involved in Work Experience
Work experience is something that all employers look for, so why not start building upon your skill set now? Whether it’s discovering what you’re passionate about, or becoming one step closer to landing your dream job, there’s something out there for everyone.
Go to httpss://successatschool.org for career ideas.
Summer Schools and Courses
Schools often run summer camps and activities throughout the summer for young people, with a diverse range of activities, from sports to music. Enquire at your local schools or visit your local council’s website and see what they have on offer this summer.
Take time to Read
Reading is an essential skill, used daily throughout your lifetime. Find a genre that interests you and relax with a good book. Revise a subject that motivates you, be it psychology or physics. This is a beneficial way to prepare for the upcoming academic year, especially if you’re going into GCSE or A-Levels.
Check out BBC Bitesize for free educational materials: httpss://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Learn a new Skill
Take the summer break to try something that you’ve always wanted to learn. It’s never too late to discover a new talent.
Why not…
Play a musical instrument: There are endless materials online, like YouTube tutorials or how-to guides, so if playing the guitar or piano inspires you, take the holidays to learn. It is also proven to relieve stress.
Learn a language: If you ever plan on travelling, speaking a different country’s language is beneficial for getting by. It is also a skill that future employers may look for when choosing the perfect candidate. It can enhance job prospects, especially if you’ve ever dreamed of working abroad. There are many apps and websites for learning a language that are free, like Duolingo, httpss://www.learnalanguage.com and even YouTube.
Take up cooking: Help your family to make the dinner, or even cook for them by yourself. Follow recipes from cookbooks, magazines, or websites like httpss://www.bbcgoodfood.com
This will come in handy if you are thinking about going to university; it’ll save money on buying ready meals and teach you to improvise using leftover ingredients.
Volunteer
Do something rewarding this summer and volunteer. You can work in a charity shop, help out at an animal shelter, go litter-picking, and so on. You can even volunteer through charities to work at festivals and events. This is a highly valued addition to a CV, demonstrating dedication and commitment to a good cause.
Explore your Talents
If you enjoy writing, create a blog. There are many free websites like WordPress or Tumblr that allow you to personalise and design the layout. If you’re interested in technology, learn how to code and build a website. Get a pen and paper and let your mind run free with creative writing. Write about events that have happened to you or make something up. Keep a summer journal to record your memories throughout the holidays.
Relax
As important as it is to keep active and learning, you don’t want to burnout. Take time for yourself every day and find something that relaxes you. Try going for a walk, listening to music or taking up meditation. Alone time for relaxation is key to improve wellbeing and mindfulness. After a busy day or challenging task, give your mind a rest and wind down.
There are various apps and videos for mindfulness, like ‘Calm’ and httpss://www.mindful.org.
Take this summer to develop yourself as a person and learn something new. Keep busy and get involved in an activity or teach yourself a new skill – the possibilities are endless.
Make sure you are fully prepared for the academic year ahead during this break; read up on your favourite subjects and familiarise yourself with new material. Everything that you participate in this summer break will reward you later and increase your abilities.