As the end of my freshman year approaches, I have been bombarded with decisions that I have to make about the upcoming summer. Do I stay in SLC? Fly home and spend the summer with family? Is it more cost effective to do one versus the other? Should I take a summer class? Where am I going to work? If I do work, will I have time to do that as well as enjoy my summer plans and trips?
Although the end of the semester is supposed to feel like a weight lifted off of my shoulders, the pressures of planning the “perfect” summer have come crashing down. After lots of deliberation and looming stress, I have worked out a few systems to help guide me through my worries about the future.
Step 1: Make a calendar
Calendaring out my summer has helped give me some peace of mind. It gave me a visual aid of what is to come in the upcoming months. Jotting down any trips I have planned, when the semester begins/ends, and when I would like to work makes the summer seem much less daunting. Additionally, I am less likely to forget about the commitments I’ve already made.
Step 2: Communicate with people involved
Communicating with the people that I plan to spend time with in my summer has made it much easier to be able to make commitments. For me, this mostly applies to my parents, as they keep me updated about any family commitments I am going to be a part of. Talking with housemates or roommates is also essential for making and securing plans.
Step 3: Find a balance of fun and finances
Sometimes when the stress takes over, I find myself rejecting fun trips or experiences because of finances. The reality is, I won’t be able to do every fun thing that comes about, but I don’t have to miss out on it all. Finding a work-life balance this summer is going to be the golden ticket to having a fun summer.
These small but significantly helpful tasks have aided me in planning out a summer that will hopefully be enjoyable and mostly stress-free. There can be lots of choices to make in terms of planning, but figuring out priorities and what sounds most fun will make those choice a bit more simple to make!