By Lauren Matheny, Lifestyles Editor
For students, summer is a time to relax, take a deep breath, and look back on the year of hard work with pride. It’s a time for summer jobs, for exciting internships, for horizon-broadening trips abroad. But despite the temptation to completely check out, summer should also be a time to put some thought into the coming school year for those returning to OCU in the Fall.
It can be a little depressing to think about beginning a new semester when your feet have barely touched the grass of summer, but a little bit of planning can go a very long way towards easing the transition between summer dreaminess and the harsh reality of school.
First, make a list of all that you’d like to accomplish during the summer during the last few weeks of school. In your current focused state, you’ll be able to remember more distinctly the goals you would like to achieve.
Separate your goals into three categories: “must-do,” “should-do,” and “would-like-to.” The “must-do” category should include all of the things that are essential to your success in the fall. These might include taking the GRE for those interested in graduate school, finalizing student financial aid, and shopping for needed supplies for your dorm room or housing.
The “should-do” list should include things that you should get done, but are not absolutely essential. These might include cleaning out your closet and your boxes of accumulated trash, reading some suggested texts from your coursework, or organizing your collection of plays, music, or textbooks for the fall.
Finally, the “would-like-to” list can include anything that you dream of accomplishing this summer. You might add on starting a new blog, or reading the complete works of William Shakespeare. This list should include items that are much easier to get done in the summer, when you are less confined by the demands of classes, rehearsals, and practices.
These lists can be as intricate or as simple as you like. Adding check boxes is essential, however; one of the most satisfying things about planning your goals is being able to check them off once they’ve been reached.
Be sure to keep the list in a place where you will see it often. Digital lists work well, and can be saved to your desktop. Physical lists can be put up on a bulletin board. Wherever you choose to place it, make sure the list is in a prominent enough spot to encourage you to keep working.
Another smart idea for the summer is saving up. With money from summer jobs trickling in, it can be tempting to blow paychecks on trips to the mall or weekends out with friends. But come fall, many students wish they would have foregone a few coffee trips in the summer to have some ready cash when class starts.
Two of the easiest tips for saving money involve setting it aside. The first is called “The Five Dollar Method;” every time you get a five dollar bill, set it aside in a jar or a specialized wallet that you promise not to dip into. After a few months, you will have a tidy sum of cash saved up for yourself, with little damage to your expenses (this also works well for saving up for big expenditures, like trips abroad or a new car.)
The other method for saving money involves more intangible means. Open a savings account at your local bank (or use your current account if you have one). Each month, place a designated amount of your paycheck into the savings account. The amount could range from $10 to $200, depending on the size of your income. While it might ache a bit to put the money aside from impulse use, the relief you will feel in the fall should be worth it.
All of the tips for summer mentioned have something in common: will power. It is difficult to remain energized and focused without a rigid schedule of classes and commitments to funnel your energy. However, a tiny bit of planning and effort expended during the summer months can reap large gains in the coming semester. The biggest reward of all will be your peace of mind.
Leave a Reply