Keep Your Brain Sharp during the Summer

Summer is a time when many students are enjoying time away from the rigors of reading and studying for tests. However, just because they’re on break doesn’t mean mind-stimulating exercise should fall to the wayside!

Read, read, read

The long summer break is a great time to catch up on all of the reading you may have put off during the school year in favor of completing school assignments and studying for tests. Take advantage of the time you have away from the textbooks and online materials by picking up a few novels. Even if you’ve never considered yourself an avid reader in the past, finding the right book will make reading an activity you look forward to dedicating time to. It may even make returning to your textbooks and online course materials in the fall that much easier.

Watch or listen to mentally stimulating material

The wide-ranging realm of online media available to the masses today makes finding educational videos and audio material easier than ever before. Many free video streaming websites offer mind stimulating talks and lectures in subjects you may not find in your typical classroom. The same is true for audio material; you’ll find recorded digital books, podcasts, and more, all dedicated to making you think. Explore the wide variety of free educational media that’s out there, and you’re bound to find something that profoundly interests you.

Attend a free guest lecture series

Many colleges and libraries host free public lectures on interesting topics. Take advantage of them during your time off. The time you spend at these lectures could be great training for when you’ll be attending college-level lectures in the future. Plus, you may learn a thing or two!

Get a summer job or internship

For those old enough to work, finding a summer job is a great way to stimulate your mind, learn something new, and gain experience in a field you’re considering pursuing down the road. It is also a wonderful way to learn how to handle yourself in a professional environment.

Take a summer course

Summer coursework may not seem like the most exciting way to spend time between school terms, but the change of pace can actually be a welcome change to the typical pace you’re used to running at during the school year. Summer courses offer the added benefit of allowing you to focus on one subject area at a time, and you have the advantage of possibly completing all of your coursework sooner than normal.