It’s almost Spring Break! We know most students are looking forward to sitting back, relaxing, and soaking up the sun, if possible. However, sitting back and unwinding the entire time can lead to some serious setbacks in school. You don’t want to waste all those hours of hard work this year for a few hours of TV time. So shut off that TV, go outside and keep enhancing your skills in the most fun way possible.

Don’t Forget About Your Books

The easiest way to stay sharp is to read a book. Read something interesting, learn something, and let your imagination run wild. It’s amazing that there are so many great books out there and most of them are free! Just head over to your public library, library cards are free too.

Write it Down

Don’t like to read? You should try to get into it considering developing reading skills is important for the rest of your life. But if you really detest reading, perhaps you could try writing instead. Don’t worry about writer’s block, try starting out with how you’re feeling, what’s going on in your life, or what your plans are for today. Starting this way helps you get into deeper thought, allows you to express yourself, and relieve some stress at the same time. Think of a fun subject and start by writing down descriptive words about your subject.

Physical Activity

What could be more fun than playing outside? if you’re playing sports, it makes you more alert and aware and helps your reflexes. You have to think quickly about your next move and this helps develop good decision skills. It doesn’t have to be sports, you could walk, hike, or go for a bicycle ride. Physical exercise is a great way to receive great physical benefits but remember, it can also benefit you mentally. So, afterwards, you’re more prepared to learn mathematics or physics or chemistry or whatever subject you have at hand.

Play Some Games

More of an indoor type of person? Instead of lying around and staring at the computer, how about a family game night? It helps you bond together and also helps work on your brain. Playing simple board games or cards helps stimulation and allows practice and enhancement of faster processing for your brain. Plus, if you play games like trivia or Apples to Apples you can learn a lot of new things! Trivia helps you get up to date on the world around us and Apples to Apples mainly helps build vocabulary. Playing games like Uno or Crazy Eights can help you keep your math skills sharp.

Work Hard and Rest Well

Lastly, one of the best ways to help you stay sharp is to get a good night’s rest. If you are tired, none of these activities will do much. Your mind loses focus and feeling tired will get in the way of learning. To reap all the benefits and stay healthy, students should sleep around 7 to10 hours every night. Make sure to sleep at a decent time each night so your circadian rhythm will be consistent.  This way, waking up for school again after Spring Break, will be a breeze. It’s okay to catch up on sleep the first few days because your body may need it, but don’t make this a pattern. Your body should be on a set schedule for sleep. This is a very healthy habit to stick with for the rest of your life and it is beneficial for your future. So, get up, get out, and put your body to use for a healthy, happy, and sharp brain, for life!