Keep Learning Over the Summer

If you are not taking classes over the summer, what can you do to keep moving forward in your academics and future career?  Here are some ideas:

• Read the newspaper.  Look for articles that connect to your major as well as any Liberal Studies classes you are taking in the fall.
• Read books that pertain to your major.
• Read anything!  This keeps your brain working and improves your vocabulary.
• If you will be taking courses in the fall that involve math, do some work to keep up your skills – get a workbook and study, go to www.freerice.com and do some practice problems, get a math book from your local library and review.  There are multiple options!
• Consider doing some service for others.  Not only does this prepare you for the working world, you will gain leadership experience and have something to put on your resume.
• If you have a job, pay attention!  What is happening in the business?  How are people interacting?  How can you use this experience to your advantage?
• If you know someone working in your future field, ask if you can accompany them to work for a day or a few days.  Ask questions.  Learn all you can about the field.

There are always ways to move forward and gain knowledge and experience.  Be aware of what is going on around you and be open (and prepared!) for opportunities.

Learning Through Your Senses – Muscle Movement

Many students like to be on the move – they don’t like to sit still.  They get restless during long classes and have a hard time paying attention.  They don’t like to sit and read or listen for a long time.  If they want to learn something, they prefer to do it themselves as opposed to reading the directions or having someone tell them what to do.   If this is you, here are some ways to add large and small muscle movement into your studying:

• Make and use study cards.  You will like the manipulation aspect.
• Take notes, rewrite notes, make charts, graphs and study guides – you are using small muscles!
• Likewise, annotate when reading.  The small muscle movement of writing will help keep you engaged.
• Take your review chart and study it while on the treadmill or exercise bike.
• Tape your notes and listen while walking or running.
• Make use of small segments of time by carrying your study cards with you.
• Try to avoid 3 hour, once-a-week classes if possible.  If you must take a long class, be sure to get up and walk around during the break.
• When studying, take breaks every 30 minutes or so.  (By a “break” I mean a few minutes to walk around, not two hours to hang out with friends!)
• Seek out classes with a lab component or where students do projects as opposed to exams.

Any way you can add movement will help you stay on task and learn!