Co-op is often a great time to earn money and relax, because you usually have nothing else to do after work. However, I know that for some people the transition between study terms and work terms can be difficult. Moving from a very stressful environment into one which is super chill (and vice versa) is hard. Here are a few things you can do during your co-op term so you don’t feel like you’ve wasted it afterwards.
1. Try to find a new hobby.
Pick up and try something new – it might end up being really fun! When you do something for the first time, you get to learn new things, potentially make friends, and meet other people who are interested in learning the same things as you. Additionally, learning is always a good thing to do, especially when it is outside the classroom and you get to relax.
2. Try to read a book.
Although it can be kind of hard because you have just gone through a stage where you were forced to do readings, now is the time where you can actually enjoy the books that you’ve always wanted to read but didn’t have a chance to because you had to study. You can also gain knowledge from reading a book, which is a plus.
3. Hang out more with friends.
If you’re like me, most of your study terms involve painful studying and there is not much time to hang out with friends. Now that you are on co-op you have plenty of time to meet up with friends – and actually chill out!. Some things you may want to try going to together are Bomber Wednesdays and other events happening around school.
4. Explore new places.
Waterloo has a bunch of places that we, as students, usually don’t get to explore because we’re too busy with our school work. During the work term, though, if you want to get to know the local scene, what’s better than exploring the surrounding areas in Cambridge and Kitchener?
5. Try new recipes.
During this study term, you probably didn’t have enough time to cook actual meals, which likely resulted in a lot of fast food dinners and eating out. Now that you have time to cook, why not try your cuisine skills out? Try to make an actual recipe that you usually wouldn’t attempt. Try new food that you’ve never made before, because now you actually have the time.