Author: Prince Diana
For many of us, school is over for the summer and we are finally getting a much deserved chance to relax. Summer break can be a super fun time, filled with friends, relaxation, and (my personal favourite) sleep!
However, for many of us, summer break can also create some real problems with mental health. No matter how we feel about school, it certainly keeps us busy and occupied. Over the summer we can often lose opportunities to interact with others, keep our mind busy, and even just get out of the house. This forms a real concern for our mental health, because all of those things are really important! But there are a couple things we can keep in mind to help avoid this.
Try to get involved in something. Although doing nothing for a couple weeks or months might sound really nice, it gets old fast. Having nothing to do can be a real drag mentally as well, so try to find a job, volunteer, go to a summer camp, or do anything really! It doesn’t have to be a big change either. For example, if you already have a job, you can ask to pick up a couple extra hours.
Set goals for yourself. Summer is a great time to try something new! You can set goals for fitness, healthy eating, learning a new skill, and lots more. Having something to work towards each day can be super rewarding. You can even try to set that goal with a friend or family member. That way you get to interact with others and hold each other accountable.
Regularly check in with yourself. Sometimes we just kind of assume that summer is supposed to be fun and exciting, so we don’t realize that our mental or physical health is getting worse. Make sure to check in every so often and see whether you’re doing ok. Don’t forget, if you need support there are lots of resources available to you, including us!
Of course, there’s lots of great stuff about summer, and I definitely don’t mean to ignore that. Summer can be a super fun time, and as long as we make sure to take care of ourselves there’s no reason not to celebrate the end of school!
