As summer starts to get closer, I am obviously excited but also lost on how to spend it. The idea of having this huge block of time is stressful to me, coming from an entire school year where I had no time at all. Would it be better to save myself from burning out and use the break to relax and reset for the new year, or should I use this time productively to help me stay on track? How does one keep a balance between being productive and having fun this summer break? Are there things I can do this summer to help me for college and beyond?

Sincerely,

Summer Stresser

Dear Summer Stresser, 

I hear your concerns. Summer break spans a daunting amount of time, nearly three months, and it is easy to feel guilty over how we chose to use this freedom. Going from a hectic school year where you barely have time to think to weeks of emptiness should feel weird. Speaking from personal experience, I have looked back on many summers with regret, wishing I had been more productive. Despite these innate feelings, however, this regret is largely unjustified. You may recall recent Poly guest speaker Dr. Lisa Damour, psychologist and author of multiple New York Times best-selling books.  Damour specializes in the psychology of teenagers, and throughout her work she emphasizes the importance of guilt free rest for the mind. While it may seem counterintuitive, the time we spend allowing ourselves to rest and “restore”, as Damour puts it, is just as important towards our overall performance as the actual work we put into studying. 

Taking this into consideration, let’s re-adjust our understanding of what a “useful” use of our time is. By the sounds of it, you’ve had a pretty full year. Not only that, you have many more years of learning ahead of you. To avoid burning out and to prepare yourself for the future, it is massively important to your overall well-being that you spend some time relaxing this summer. So how should you spend this newly allocated free time? Pretty much however you want! Feel free to indulge in some guilty pleasures. Spend a day binge watching a new show. Sleep in when you can. Maybe nestle up with a good book. The world is truly your oyster! We have the luxury of living in New York, so why not take advantage of the good weather and go outside. Catch the train out to Rockaway and get your tan on. Go to a local park and put together a picnic, or if you happen to have outdoor space, invite some people over for a cookout. 

You can look outside of the city as well. With just a short trip up north you can enjoy nature at one of many public parks. There you can explore the forests by hiking or biking through the many trails, before sleeping under the stars at a camping site. If you still find yourself with an itch to be productive, you can scratch it with a new hobby. Ever find yourself wanting to pick up an instrument but never having the time to do so? Well the summer months are perfect for just that. If music isn’t your thing, maybe use the time to work on a new language outside of a classroom setting. You can use summer break to pick up pretty much any new skill, whether that’s cooking, painting, or dance. If you need a place to start, just look online where there are hundreds of accessible workshops and classes. 

Finally, I hear your need to prepare yourself for college over the break, and community service is a great way to flesh out your application while vicariously helping your community. Go online and find a local shelter, food bank, or community center where your help and time would be more than appreciated. If you have a green thumb, maybe visit a community garden and offer a helping hand, or if you’re more of a chef, consider a bake sale for a charity. All in all, there are several ways to spend your summer break, but you shouldn’t feel pressured over how you spend your time. Instead you should devote it towards your own personal needs and interests. 

Enjoy, 

Devil’s Advocate