Four Tips for Staying Sharp Over Summer Break
What do you think of when you hear the words “summer break?”
Sun-tan? Or sun-burn if we’re getting personal.
Sand? I think I still have sand in all crevasses of my body from last summer.
Ice cream? Way too much ice cream on my part, just look at my picture!
Midnight Drives? The deer need to calm down on that whole running in front of a car thing.
Bonfires? Pass the marshmallows, please!
Summer, for most college students, is a time to relax and renew. It’s a season where the nights are long and the days are hot (I think I heard that in a country song once). It’s a break from thinking about school or thinking in general. However, if you are hoping to keep up with the ever changing PR world, you have to keep that brain of yours on point! Instead of shutting down for the entire summer, do things that will encourage you to think outside of the box, while still enjoying the gorgeous weather and unforgettable nights.
1. Challenge Yourself
Whether you teach yourself a new skill like computer coding, embroidering, water skiing, or even tight roping, or face one of your fears head on, challenge yourself to do something different. Switch up your day-to-day routine: watch the sunset, then wake up to watch the sunrise; volunteer at your local boys and girls club, or old folks home if you’d rather not deal with munchkins; sing in front of a crowd of people in your craziest outfit. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to take on a task you know won’t be easy.
There is a whole world of possibilities. My suggestion is to make a list of the most interesting and challenging things you can think of, and start working on crossing them off of your list. But promise me you won’t do anything too illegal. This is a wholesome blog and I would hate to lose you!
Challenging yourself can create inspiration which can then lead to success.
2. Exercise
I know, I know, so cliché, but as Elle Woods once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.”
Hopefully, no one reading this blog is planning on killing their husbands, but Elle was right. Exercising increases blood flow to more than just your muscles; your brain functions more efficiently when there is a steady flow of oxygenated blood to it. When your brain is active and healthy, you are better able to come up with amazing ideas that will increase the quality of your summer. It will also make it easier to transition back into the hustle and bustle of classes and homework.
Plus, once you’re done exercising, you can chow down on some of that ice cream we were talking about before.
3. Read a Book
I will say, I do not personally have much practice with this one, but I’m hoping to change that once summer rolls around. Picking up a good book can transport you into a whole different dimension. Remember watching that series on Netflix that you got so attached to you cried when it was over? Yeah, that’s what reading is like, except you create the world you read about.
Reading expands your imagination while improving your vocabulary at the same time. Wouldn’t you love to use gasconading in a sentence and actually know what it means? (to boast or brag). Well, reading a great book or two during the summer can help with that. Not to mention imagination comes into play quite often in the PR profession.
4. Get Creative
When it comes to the summer, don’t just sit around baking in the sun (skin cancer is real you know). Put that creative mind to work! Come up with a new dance with your friends, play with watercolors, write those blogs you said you were going to start 2 weeks ago, start a bullet journal, make a stop-motion video, try a new makeup look. Whatever you decide to do, make sure the gears in your head are turning.
Make the best out of your summer before having to come back to hit the school books (don’t actually hit them, please). The sunshine and tan lines only last for so long. I hope your summers are amazing, just like you! Have fun!
About Kyra O'Dell
Kyra O’Dell is a senior at Grand Valley State University majoring in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Elementary Certification. Kyra will be an Account Executive for the GrandPR next year, and has recently won a Superior Award for student excellence in Advertising and Public Relations. She is eager to graduate and show the world her passion for Public Relations and her quirky attitude towards life. In Kyra’s free time, you can find her obsessing over dog videos, making chocolate chip banana bread or guacamole, and smiling.