May is less than a week away, so I think we can now say that summer is quickly approaching. For those of us not weeks away from entering the “real world” (ah!!), that means that, once finals are over, we have three and a half months to fill. Whether you’re working as an intern, taking summer classes, or traveling the world, summer is still the perfect time to do the things you haven’t been able to find time to do during the academic year.
We all know that the word “break” doesn’t exactly fit into the vocabulary of an Amherst student, but your summer can and should be both relaxing and productive. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always made summer “to-do” lists. These lists were filled with a huge variety of things, from learning a new skill to conquering a fear. I loved doing this because putting something in writing makes you more inclined to actually follow through with it, plus it got me super excited for summer to begin.
So I challenge you, before you go to bed, or while you’re taking a break from studying, or while your waiting for your newsfeed to update, to make a list. It could be as fancy or as simple as you’d like it to be. Think about that book series you wish you had the time to read, or the instrument you’ve always wanted to play. Think about a risk you’ve shied away from taking, or that place you never got to go. Find things to do with your friends and family, and find things for you to do alone. You’ll be surprised what you come up with, and you’ll be surprised how you much you’ll grow and learn about yourself each time you check something off your list.
That’s the other half of the challenge: try your hardest to complete the list. And make it realistic so that you can do so. Come up with a monetary budget as well as a rough estimate of how much free time you’ll have to spend before you make the list, so that you’re focused on enjoying yourself rather than wondering if you’re about to go broke or miss an important deadline. We only have a few more of these summer vacations, so take advantage of the time while you’ve got it. Wherever the summer takes you, be it work or play or travel, etc., the goal should be that, as summer ends, you can feel confident that your accomplishments and memories of the summer will stick with you forever.