A couple weekends ago, my friends and I all went out to dinner to catch up since we hadn’t see each other since finals week. Most of us had gone home for some time during the brief break before returning to Houston and moving into our summer housing.

After the initial “Hi, how are you?” greetings and ordering our food, we went around talking about our summer plans — working, doing research, internships with local companies, studying for the MCAT, reviewing material for the upcoming semester.

There was a collective sigh over the group.

“Remember when summer used to actually be summer?” one friend said. We all thought back to our most relaxed summer break, agreeing that it was post-high school graduation.

Where did our summers go? During our childhood, this was a time parents dreaded the most, because now their energetic kids had no other obligations, and would wreak havoc around the house. Now, my summer schedule is even busier than when I’m in school. I leave my apartment around 8:30 in the morning and don’t get back until around 7:30 at night. All day I’m working on projects, sitting in on meetings, reading literature on related topics and engaging in discussions with my co-workers.

It makes sense why we keep our summers so busy. We gain new experiences and meet new people that can help us with our future endeavors. We keep our minds active and avoid the “summer slump” of laziness and lack of mental stimulation. We become competitive applicants for our future studies or professions.

But how are we supposed to recharge for the upcoming semester?

“It’s all about budgeting your fun,” one of my friends tells me when I run into him at the gym. And it’s true. The work week may be long and tiring, but set aside some time to enjoy your summer and actually get the break you need. For example, I reserve the time from Friday night to Sunday night to relax and hang out with friends. Sure, if there is a major project due then I’ll do some work, but otherwise there are no obligations.

So, even if you’re spending your 10 weeks of summer cooped up in a lab or sitting at a desk, give yourself some time to have fun and enjoy your time off.