As summer approaches, it's time to starting thinking about whether you should take the summer off, get a summer job, or take summer classes.
The following series of blogs will attempt to address both the pros and cons of each of these scenarios, starting with the concept of students taking the summer break off from school and work.
The Pros of Taking The Summer Off
As a college student, college might be your last chance to take the entire summer off until you retire. So, why not enjoy it while you can? Here are some pros to taking the summer break off:
- It's a great stress reliever and will give you a break from having a hectic day-to-day schedule.
- It gives you time to regroup and focus on where your life is headed after college.
- You’ll be free to drop everything and travel at a moment’s notice.
- You can exercise more and address any weight/body strength concerns you might have.
- You’ll have time to do some of the things on your bucket list.
- You won’t have any sort of regimented schedule and you’ll be able to stay up, or sleep in, as much as you like.
- There won't be any homework to do, tests to take, or any other academic responsibilities that come with being a college student.
- You'll have the time to catch up with those friends from high school you’ve been meaning to contact.
- You'll have a chance to strengthen your family ties before officially leaving the nest and begin making your own way in the world.
The Cons Of Taking The Summer Off
While being out of school and not working a summer job may sound nice, there are some downsides to it. Below are some cons of taking your summer break off from school and work.
- You’ll have a lot less money to spend. Because you have no means of income coming in, this means that you’ll find yourself in the uncomfortable position of having to ask your friends and family to lend you spending money.
- Loss of motivation. A few months of having absolutely no responsibilities will make you extremely susceptible to the “summer slide.” This means that when you do go back to college you’ll feel unmotivated, have trouble concentrating, and have a much more difficult time adjusting to the demands of your new class schedule.
- You'll have to pull your weight. If you’re still living at home, don’t be surprised if your parents expect you to start helping out around the house.
- Your emotional maturity could suffer. Too much time to yourself could cause any emotional maturity you’ve gained to begin to suffer. As a result, you could begin to regress emotionally and start acting more like the child you used to be as opposed to the budding responsible young adult college is helping you become.
- You'll become more sluggish. The longer you continue staying up late and sleeping in, the more sluggish you’ll start to feel and act.
- Boredom will eventually set in. While taking the entire summer off might sound inviting, you could begin to suffer from chronic boredom after a few weeks of having nowhere to be and nothing to do.
- You could become more irritable. Spending too much time at home could result in you and your family members to start getting on each other’s nerves.
