Too much time off? How to balance relaxation and reflection between seasons
“New year, new me” is a phrase often said around New Year’s Eve. It symbolizes a time to reflect on yourself and prepare for the best year of your life. However, for students, January is the middle of the school year and not the best time for a big change.
The transition between summer and autumn, on the other hand, is the perfect time. With the summer season ending and fall approaching, this provides the perfect opportunity to reflect and make whatever character upgrades you see fit as a new term approaches. It’s time to prepare for those parts of the school year that are more than just schoolwork and to realize that college as a whole is as much a time for personal growth as it is for academics.
Balance between free time and productivity
With so much free time during this transitional period, it can also feel like time is running out as classes progress from the curriculum week. It is important to find the balance between tying up the loose ends of the summer and starting over with your studies. Although there is a lot of free time available during these weeks, this availability can also bring various struggles. You might find that you have too many things on your agenda that you want to get done. Others may not even know where to begin with recreational activities. The best way to solve this dilemma is to figure out what things you want to prioritize and focus on getting those done before anything else, and there’s more than one way to do this.
create structure
No matter how you spend your time, the key to managing your availability is finding a balance so you don’t spend too much time doing nothing or get so annoyed about upcoming academic achievements that it’s when if school would never end at all.
Of course there is a time and place for nights as everyone is different and enjoys different things. However, one way to combat a burglary is to think of a few different goals that you want to achieve. Make a list of the things you want to get done the most and focus on getting them done first. That way it won’t be overwhelming to balance everything you want to achieve. Not only does this management system help break down your to-do list, but it also creates a schedule to ensure your due dates are met.
prioritization of energy
Something else to consider when choosing your goals is what types of activities are relaxing for you and what activities give you energy rather than draining it. The transition to studying should not be stressful, everyone has different needs and sees relaxation differently.
If you’re the type who gets energized around others, prioritize outings with friends or family. This ensures you have time with loved ones in case classes take that time away. With the nice weather you can plan many activities. Picnics are simple, COVID-19 friendly and can be as extravagant or casual as you like. On the other hand, if you prefer to spend your free time alone to relieve stress, but still don’t want to do anything, you can read a new book or devote yourself to artistic passions. In this way, your mind will be distracted from busy schedules and focused on something pleasant.
For freshmen starting their academic journey, it can be difficult to balance personal life with college life, especially in a social sense, as it can be easy to concentrate on college while on campus , and completely ignoring home and vice versa. But balance should be a priority, not an afterthought – “New year, new me” doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch and wiping out the old. It’s possible to be the same person you were before while still improving and looking forward to a period of growth in your new environment.
vision boards
Another tool you can use to help you stay mindful is to create a vision board. How do you see your year going? It could be online Pinterest or a fun activity to implement in your bedroom. Visualizing your goals is just the first step. Setting deadlines or just remembering what you want to achieve is the best motivator to make sure your plans don’t just live in your head.
While productivity doesn’t always equate to academic achievement, deciding which creative endeavors to pursue can be just as stressful. Simply taking the time to reflect on the past school year and using that free time before the next is a healthy achievement in itself. Students are everywhere and come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, the most important thing to remember when planning your free time is prioritizing yourself and what you need to do to stay relaxed and ready for the year ahead.