Summer is the best time to recover from a busy school year

With one month left in the semester, I give us all permission to give ourselves a pat on the back. We’re almost there!

Summer is just around the corner, and we will all be scattering for the upcoming months. Whether you’re heading home for some rest and relaxation, using the time to work, catching up with friends and family, taking summer classes, heading out on vacation or something else completely—or any combination of the above—these plans are probably at the forefront of our minds when we start to dream about summer break.

If you are graduating next month, a huge congratulations! College graduation is a huge accomplishment, and I wish you the best with your future plans!

For those of us who have some time left before receiving our diplomas, summer is a great time to take a break and refocus before barreling headfirst into another crazy fall. Even with summer classes or a packed work schedule, don’t forget to take time to appreciate the all-too-rare warm North Dakota weather if you will be sticking around town.

I don’t know if anyone actually accomplishes everything they set out to do during those short three months. Give yourself some grace and be realistic about what you want to do. This way, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed and also feel better about what you really do accomplish instead of focusing on everything you didn’t.

Summer is a great time to catch up with family and friends and give your brain a much-needed break. Sometimes we don’t even realize how stressful school can be until we don’t have to worry about it for a while. Hopefully, you’re dealing with school stress in a healthy way during the regular school year, but if not, take the time to relax and decompress but also start planning on healthy stress-relieving practices you can use for fall. That way you aren’t scrambling at the last minute, stressing out about the homework and classwork and harming your mental psyche in the process.