Now that the semester has ended and summer is officially beginning, I think it’s safe to say everybody’s brain feels fried and overloaded with every fact, time, date and worry we could possibly hold. Our stress is probably still hanging a little on our shoulders and backs and all you want to do at this point is not think. I’m writing this article to explain why it’s important to keep your mind active, stimulated and continuously learning this summer break if you aren’t signed up to take a class. I know it’s hard to keep your brain motivated to learn new things after such a long, tiring and draining semester but it’s not as hard as it seems if you go about it a fun way.

The ability and opportunity to learn is always around us. You don’t have to be in a classroom staring at the board and taking notes to learn. There are so many ways to learn without it feeling so mundane and routine. For example, while you lay soaking up the sun on the beach, you could read a book, or if you’re in the city at some point, you can take a trip to a museum. Maybe if you decide to take a nice road trip, check out one of the historic sites or a National Park if you’re near one. There are so many little spots to see and discover. There were so many times as I was growing up that my mom would just simply pull over and make a little detour from our destination to go see a historic site or park. Some of the best trips I have taken were trips that had those detours. There are so many deep roots and rich history in the United States to learn about and it never feels like a chore when I’m learning it because it’s up close and personal. Don’t get me wrong, we need to read articles and textbooks but sometimes the best learning comes from actually seeing.

Another way to keep your brain stimulated this summer is to set goals of things you want to accomplish and check them off as you do them. Pick something you’re deeply interested in and start learning it. It’s amazing how much you can do in just a couple months. I remember one summer my goal was to start creating art again. I love art and did a lot of it in high school but when college and work entered the picture, it was placed on the back burner for a long time which upset me because I never seemed to have the time. So last summer I went out, bought some brand new art supplies and started working on a little art again. It made me feel good to get back into something I loved, I learned and attempted new techniques and styles, I watched some tutorials to get some ideas and I ended up coming up with a few pieces. It was so fun to engage my brain and it never felt forced and I could learn at my own pace.

There is a million ways to continuously learn throughout the summer and overall throughout life that doesn’t stress you or fry your brain, it simply keeps it growing and developing in a healthy way. Plus, if you keep it stimulated, I guarantee going back for the next semester will not be as challenging. Just some food for thought. So I leave you with this in mind and hope you learn something life changing this summer!