The summer holidays are fast approaching, allowing many of you across the UK to relax and recharge for the next academic year. That being said, although resting is very important and well deserved during this time period, there are small ways to make the most out of your holidays too, to ensure that you are properly prepared for September. Here are 5 ways to do so...
1. Get work experience
If you are currently in high school, or you will be attending college after the holidays, gaining work experience is a fantastic opportunity to find out what the working environment will be like, additionally allowing you to be able to build on your personal statement. Not only this, but work experience may allow for your future career goals to be determined as you will be given insight into your field of interest. You can either visit the places of work to apply for the job role, or you can simply type into a search engine: "Work experience near me" and plenty of opportunities will be presented.
2. Practise exam papers
This is something that I wish I acknowledged when I was in school. Exams are not made to be easy, and at term times it can become quite overwhelming to learn content and practise exam questions at the same time. Therefore, it is important that exam style questions are practised throughout the holidays too, as doing so during this time period not only eases you into the expectations that are to be met, it also allows you to pick up subject knowledge as you go along.
3. Listen to educational videos
It's understandable that your academic focus during the holidays is not the same with all the free time that opens up and the plans you make with friends and family etc... However, watching educational videos online is a great way to stay engaged with any particular content you went through in your previous academic year. All it requires is for you to listen, so you could be doing almost anything, from relaxing in your garden, to getting ready to go out, all while subject knowledge is being broken down for you.
4. Become more physically active
Becoming more physically active scientifically helps with brain health in numerous ways.(more on this via: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-exercise-affects-your-brain/). Not only is your focus further enhanced, you are more alert and energetic. Thus, you are then able to be productive and make the most of your day. Exercise can be done in many ways: jogging, gym workouts, taking long walks with your friends etc... Taking care of your health in such a way plays a major role in academic performance, so make the most out of the spare time you are given throughout the holidays to try to be more active.
5. Reflect on your previous year
This may not seem important, but reflecting on the year you have just completed is important for personal growth. Becoming aware of the things that helped you achieve your goals in the year or attempting to identify any mistakes you made that hindered your performance allows for plans of improvement to be made. This is so that the same mistakes aren't made in your next academic year. As a result, better habits are implemented into your daily life.
