How to Optimise Your School Holidays
Throughout the school year, there is a demand for concentration, focus, persistence, and resilience. It becomes extremely important to prioritise school tasks, which often means that other leisure activities are compromised. For this reason, school holidays are appreciated by all students as they have the opportunity to step away from the constant need for focus and participate in more leisure activities. Whilst this is an extremely valuable time for students to unwind after a long school year and avoid burn out, this is also an extremely important time to find a balance between enjoying their free time, and preparing for the following school year to make it as smooth as possible- reducing the likelihood of early burnout. This blog will provide a guide for you to follow in order to optimise your school holidays by finding the perfect balance between relaxing and preparing for the upcoming school year.
READ IN ADVANCE
The school year can get chaotic with assessment tasks very quickly. For this reason, it is important to prepare in advance by reading your school syllabus for the upcoming year so that you have an idea of what learning outcomes will be focused on. Furthermore, it is also highly advised to complete your first reading of your English texts over the holidays as they are too time consuming to attempt to manage simultaneously with other schoolwork.
REVISION FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR – ESPECIALLY FOR VCE
Although you may feel reluctant to want to review your notes after the school year is complete, it is extremely important to understand (especially in VCE) that all the information you have learnt will build the foundation for the following year. For this reason, it is essential to keep all your notes, and by briefly reviewing them throughout the school holidays, you are more likely to retain the knowledge.
CREATE A LIST OF GOALS
A large part of your success throughout the year will be built on your ambition. By creating a list of goals and physically writing them down, you are more likely to stay motivated to achieve them. Your goals can be personal or academic, but they should be written and placed in a location you frequently view. This will also help you understand where your priorities are and what areas you would like to focus on the most.
TAKE TIME TO RECHARGE
It is undeniable that preparation and organisation are the keys to success, especially when taking on a new school year. That being said, it is essential that part of your preparation process is allowing yourself to recharge by taking time to undertake activities that you enjoy, and spending time with your loved ones. By ensuring that you are well rested, you will be setting yourself up for success as you approach the new school year.
