Probably, every student looks forward to the time when it gets possible to put aside textbooks and finally relax. Usually, this opportunity comes with a holiday season, so young people completely forget about their studies for some time. But have you ever wondered if this approach is right? Let’s think more about it.
Even though you need to unwind after a hectic term, chances are you’ll lose some fundamental knowledge if you don’t recall the main facts and ideas during your vacation. As a result, there is a risk that you will fall behind with the studies next semester.
On the contrary, if you keep learning during your holiday, this can be highly beneficial for your academic achievements. Surprisingly, you may feel less stressed out during the semester if you revise for the upcoming assignments and tests. This can reduce psychological pressure while doing homework as well as help you get better results in assessments.
During the term, you’ll have to juggle multiple assignments, rush between classes, and attend extracurricular activities. However, holidays give a great opportunity to go through all the subjects and test yourself on different topics. This way, you can identify your weak points and work on them to catch up with the studies.
Now that you realize the importance of keeping learning on track during holidays, have a look at some tips that will help you to do that!
1. Find a study buddy
Staying motivated to study while everybody around you is enjoying holidays is a big challenge. Therefore, having a study buddy could encourage you to revise materials. Psychologists say that doing particular activities with someone else can facilitate progress and bring greater success. If there is a person you can rely on and get inspired from, even complicated tasks don’t seem to be that difficult. What’s more, you can set common goals and compete with each other, which can also be motivating for both of you. Besides, a study partner can explain you difficult concepts, so you will have a deeper understanding of a subject. In general, learning gets more exciting if you have someone to discuss new things with.
2. Reward yourself
You must have heard about the power of positive reinforcement. This psychological phenomenon means that you become more encouraged to complete something if you get a reward for that. Even if you treat yourself with something small, like a piece of cake or a break to watch Netflix, you can get a significant motivation boost. This reward-based system can work really well for studying. Celebrating your achievements lowers stress levels that affect cognitive functioning. So giving yourself a reward for each step made in learning can make you more efficient in it. Remember that, forcing yourself is not a viable strategy, especially during the holiday. Instead, find things that will make you happy and get them after each study session.
3. Write essays every day
Holidays typically bring exciting experiences that you don’t want to forget. So why not to write them down? You can create a writing journal and fill it with your impressions about the vacation. If you want to make it in the form of an essay, you can get inspiration from britishessays.net, which is a leading British service for students. Practicing writing for just twenty minutes a day can keep your mind active. Moreover, writing can be a great way to relax after lively activities at night. Just keep a notebook beside your bed, think about all the great things that happened to you during the day, and get them down on paper. Making short writing sessions before falling asleep is enough to revise grammar and vocabulary before the next term.
5. Exercise your brain
To keep learning during the holidays, your brain must be fit. Scientists compare the brain with a muscle that needs consistent training, hence, you should exercise this muscle if you want it to function well. Efficient learning is possible only if the brain is trained and flexible. The question is ‘how to make it so?’ This is quite easy even in non-academic settings. You should read interesting literature, discuss controversial issues with friends, or do puzzles with your family. Another option is to use special websites designed for a training purpose, such as Lumosity, NeuroNation, BrainHQ, etc. They offer nice games that are not only fun but also helpful for your brain health.
6. Get engaged in activities
Everybody knows that passive learning is not effective. It’s very hard to absorb information without doing anything with it. According to multiple studies, one must manipulate concepts in order to understand and memorize them. This way, learning must become active in order to better assimilate new knowledge. Some of the activities you may use for studying are group projects, case studies, and discussions. There are numerous things you can do with novel information; everything you need is just to use your imagination. For sure, you must know better how to apply gained knowledge in a fun way.
7. Relax well
Although it may seem natural to relax during the holiday, some people don’t do that. Those who prefer leading an active lifestyle find it difficult to slow down and unwind. And unfortunately, this doesn’t contribute to learning. If you want to stay connected with your studies, you should find time for proper relaxation first. It’s impossible to focus on the upcoming classes if you feel constant psychological tension. Therefore, recharge your batteries and only then get down to learning. Don’t neglect relaxation and add it to your schedule no matter how full it is!
