It's that time of year again, when students are out of school, and for some, back at home, with more time to spare. The ending of an academic year and beginning of another summer vacation is an excellent time to shed away the past and our old beings for a renewed self, inside and out. The process for a brand-new start won't only be liberating, but very fun as well!
Part 1: Cleaner and clearer.
Clean and organize your environment.
Decluttering your environment is a vital step to having a fresh start. The cleaner your surroundings are, the more your mind will be able to think clearly. You'll begin to feel more positive and motivated throughout the process! This is a great time to open up your Spotify playlists and leave them on play while you clean and organize for a more lively mood!
Your environment can be areas you spend any time of day in, especially when studying, doing work or other productive activities. This can be your bedroom, entire home or apartment and even your car.
Just start by collecting all of the things you no longer need or want; such as old clothes, accessories, decor, books and possibly even accumulated miscellaneous papers from school. Ever felt the need to keep your old notes and worksheets from high school, thinking they'd come in handy for help later on? If so, then that's great! If not, like many others, it's time to let go of them for more space. Use boxes, bags or any container to create four categories ready for selling, donating, recycling and throwing away.
Once you've gotten those decided and separated, get out your cleaning supplies because it's time to clean! Dust, sweep, vacuum and wipe down everything that needs a new shine. After cleaning, you can finally reorganize the rest of your things in a different and new way you'd like. Seeing a physical change in your environment, will help you feel mentally clear and refreshed. Lighting a scented candle that isn't too overwhelming or placing a real mini-plant in the room adds a perfect touch, too!
Feel free to even clear out your phone of old messages, recordings, photos and videos to have more space for the new media you'll capture throughout the summer!
A really fun extra step you can take is if you want to revamp your personal style. You can color your hair, get a new haircut or change up your wardrobe!
Set a goal.
The second part to beginning a new summer is being productive! Begin a new routine or set a goal. A few to name may be to eat healthier, exercise every day, strengthen your spiritual health, read more books, cook new dishes, learn a new language, instrument, how to paint, and much more. However big or small the goal may be, go for it! The entire summer will be enough to see results!
Personal projects.
Summer vacation is an awesome time to work on the personal projects you've been yearning to continue on but haven't been able to because of a busy school year. Going hand in hand with setting a goal, you can continue practicing that sport, instrument or language you've already begun for a while. You can finally take this time to enjoy tackling those Pinterest "DIY" crafts, writing more for your personal blog, making music for that postponed EP, uploading more videos on your YouTube channel, or whatever fun activity you love to do!
For those who will be returning for another fall semester, you can use this time to get a head start and familiarize yourself with some of the classes you'll be taking by studying a little about it. By the time classes begin, you definitely won't be left behind!
Summer courses.
Even though summer vacation is known for taking a break from classes, there's nothing wrong with receiving more credits for school. Enrolling in summer courses is great for saving time. Saving money is also considered, if you decide on taking them at your local community college and transferring them later on to your current college or university.
Scholarships.
Applying for scholarships is a must for every college student. Even though our doubt in our chances of actually winning may sometimes get to us, it never hurts to apply! Who can say no to money for school? Continue striving and you'll eventually win some! Most of the time, one of the best resources for scholarships is from the school you attend! Colleges and universities tend to be more generous to their own students. Be sure to remember to apply before the general deadline in February.
Here are a few websites to look into for scholarships:
Cappex.com.
Unigo.com.
Chegg.com.
Summer job.
If you want to earn more money, then getting a summer job is an obvious choice! Whether it's retail, fast food or any other job, the money earned can be added to your college tuition, additional help for family or something extra to enjoy. Every little bit counts! Walk into your favorite shops and stores to ask for an application. You can Google their company and apply online, too.
Internship.
Despite the dread of becoming another Andrea Sachs from "The Devil Wears Prada," getting a summer internship is an excellent and necessary step for most, if not all, college students for that head start they will need in their careers. It'll help in the long run for gaining experience and a potential job after graduation. A lot of the time, your professors and counselors are experienced in the field you're focusing on and will be able to help you find some internships! There's no harm in emailing or calling a company you're interested in to see if they'll be willing to take you as an intern. Other than that, our trusty Google is always there for searching.
Whether you choose to take on any of these activities or not, hopefully this guide has brought some inspiration out of you for starting a new summer and the goals you hope to achieve!
