During your University holiday, you may easily get caught up in doing things that don’t add value to your life or career, here is what you should do !
Whom does this article address?
This article concerns students and education stakeholders (parents, teachers, and others). However, I have written it specifically for students looking to utilize their university or school holidays and maximize productivity ideally.
Why This Article?
Being a student is not easy. You weekly sacrifice your time and energy to appease your teachers and their “holy” syllabuses. You toil all day and night to finish an assignment before the deadline just for the lecturer or teacher to tell you, “It was not good enough.” There are times when you are in class, and your eyes want to shut because you had to revise late the previous day.
After the extreme pressure of school, it usually seems that the only time on your side is the lovely, long-awaited holiday. Not only do we use this time to relax, some consider it “Payback Time.” They do all the things they could not do during their school time. Some make new friendships, while others break old ones. Some get to try new things, while others struggle to eliminate addictions.
This article aims to inspire you into good habits and behaviors that will help you turn your holiday into a productive one. Tune in to find out what to do to get the most out of your holiday.
My Personal Experience
As a previous student, I can attest that holidays were my haven. I used to spend them forgetting about school and education. I had a pile of movies, and TV shows that I made sure to finish before the holiday ended. I did everything I could to forget that I was a student. It was not until later in life, when I started work, that I realized I had been going about it wrongly all these years.
The moment I realized the tips I am about to share with you, my life changed. I began to feel happier in school, more receptive to education, and most importantly, efficient and productive.
Why haven’t you heard of these secrets before? The answer is simple, some of your friends know them already, but they will not tell you because it would make you very good in school and they do not want that.
I am happy to share with you the secrets but on one condition! You have to do the things this article advises and not just be a reader.
No, It is Not A Long Holiday
The first lesson you should note down; Do you have three months? Six months? A full year? Well, guess what, as long as it is a holiday, it is not as long as it looks.
Soon you will find that time has passed, and you have to head back to school. So if you are reading this article in a lazy or sleeping position, you better get ready to work. Have your pen and paper beside you, because the clock is ticking!
Treat Your Holiday As A Project
As a project manager, I treat everything as a project. The good news is that you can too. Through these procedures, you can better make use of your holiday.
· Initiate — Find out how long your holiday will be and if there are any pre-planned trips or activities by your family. Note how many assignments you have that need to be finished during your holiday. Furthermore, list what you want to do and achieve during that period.
· Plan — Set due dates for all your listed activities and know how you expect to achieve each task. As you do this, focus on what to do to maximize efficiency. E.g., Instead of working somewhere to get money for a voucher or data, ask your parents for it (do everything possible to achieve more with less effort/work done); that is efficiency.
· Execute — Planning is not enough. After you make your plan, ensure you execute it to the best of your ability. To run your project best, you need to share it with other stakeholders (E.g., parents or guardians) so they know what you are trying to achieve and how to support you.
· Close — Before starting school again, ensure you get time to assess your plan and how you performed. What were the challenges, and which activities were the hardest to complete? Analyzing your performance will help you create a better plan for the next holiday.
Prepare For Your Next Semester or Year
If you are on holiday, there is a big chance that you have to go back to school after it is over. Whether it is the next term, semester or year, you must research it. Find the topics planned for your coming year or semester and get a go at them beforehand.
Get a Part-time job
I want to emphasize “part-time.” A part-time job is where you work only half the hours required to complete a work day at a company. It is usually four to five hours a day. Any part-time job will be good for you, but targeting a field that focuses on your career goal will be more beneficial for you. It does not have to be a paying job. Working experience is priceless!
This For That, Behavior Turn-around
Always ask yourself what things you need to change. I, for example, exchange movies for books and comics, social media for educative youtube videos, and casual wear for official wear. Doing this will help you be more productive and help you be better.
List down at least four good habits you know of but have not perfected yet. It might be reading books, working out, or visiting relatives. After listing them down, ensure that you work on perfecting them during your holiday.
Be More Responsible
Be more responsible if you want your guardians to respect you. Almost every student faces the challenge of being treated as a child while on holiday. It primarily involves you getting too many chores and tasks assigned to you. When you finish, you realize that the day has gone. Are they ensuring you do not enjoy your holiday? I do not think so. From their perspective, they are teaching you to be responsible.
Wake up early, and do all the necessary things around the house. Throughout the day, ensure you do things without being forced. This way, you will be given space to do things you have planned for your holiday.
Keep In Contact With Your Classmates
A few years ago, while I was still in school, our classmate lost her father due to an illness. Because no one was in contact with her at the time, no one knew that she was going through a hard time until she returned to school. It was sad not being there when she needed us most.
Being in touch will help you get essential updates from school and sometimes about your friends’ situations. Sometimes people use this chance to misbehave or disrespect you. If so, do not feel bad about blocking them and cutting contact.
Do not Bite The Hand That Feeds You.
I can not stress this enough! Stay away from troubling those who are taking care of you. You are not a grown-up! If you were, you would live in your own house and pay the tuition fees.
Your guardians must deal with a lot at work and in their own lives! It is unfair for you to burden them with bad attitudes and destructive behaviors. Make sure to do what they tell you to do.
Do Not Think About Dropping Out
I had dropped out for a while, but I am now considering returning to school. Contrary to what you might think, it is not because of lack of employment because I am self-employed at the moment of writing this article. I also plan to remain self-employed while I study.
School is essential for many reasons. Even as a business person, you will need educational credentials to achieve some things and close deals that matter. Although we see a few people who drop out and become successful, at the core, many come from wealthy families and have massive capital for their startups. Can you say the same?
Set Goals For Your Next School Year or Semester
Following the same project management procedures, I shared above, create a feasible plan to help you perform better in school and be more productive during your school time.
Always think, “how will this help me five years from now?”
Conclusion
Doing these things will help you have a great holiday, provided you keep a good attitude. Do not feel bad if all does not go perfectly according to plan. You will do better the next time and even better the time after that.
