With the semester coming to an end, I’m left feeling burnt out, exhausted, and lacking motivation to transition into summer. The past few months have been spent doing homework, reaching deadlines, staying up late, and feeling stressed, but now it’s time to slow down and do something for yourself. Healing doesn’t always mean changing yourself or making major life changes. Sometimes, it comes from reconnecting with hobbies or picking up new ones that make you feel like you again.
1. Whether your summer is spent working, traveling, taking classes, or relaxing at home, it’s important to make time for yourself and do something that supports your mental health — and it doesn’t necessarily have to be productive.
2. Ground yourself by getting outside and going on a hike, creating your own garden, or photographing the world around you.
3. Try a new physical activity, whether it’s following at-home yoga videos, taking a long walk on the beach, or dancing to your favorite music.
4. Even if you’re more of a homebody and want to try something new, try reading a book for fun instead of for class, completing brain puzzles like word searches and crosswords, or baking something comforting.
5. Up for an adventure? Take a road trip to the mountains or the beach, go to a concert, visit a new coffee shop, or explore a place you’ve always wanted to go but never had the chance to visit.
Even if you have a job or internship and still feel the pressure to stay productive outside of assigned hours, “unproductive” hobbies still add value to your life, even if they don’t add value to a resume. Healing isn’t always about obvious changes, but sometimes it is simply sitting outside, baking cookies when you want to, finishing a book, or paying more attention to the world around you.
Use this summer as a way to discover you and reclaim yourself instead of simply surviving, and start thriving!