Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. I trust you all are excited for 2021 and for all the exciting things that are to come in the future. I recently just started school earlier this week and wanted to share with you some things that I have experienced and possibly some advice that may prove useful.
This break was very short for me, unfortunately. Normally, I would have a month-long semester break; however, this year, it was only about two and a half weeks. Luckily, an earlier start to a semester also means an earlier end to the semester as well. That also meant that it really was not that hard for me to jump back into school mode given such a short break.
I spent some time working on a few side projects, making websites during the break to practice and brush up on some skills and expand my portfolio. A goal I set for myself during this break was to apply to summer opportunities like internships and jobs. I applied to a bunch of internships and while I have not been accepted to any yet, I am hoping that the Law of Large Numbers will work in my favor. Breaks are obviously meant to give your mind a rest and let you relax and recharge before another semester. Since college started, I have appreciated breaks a lot more and found it helpful to balance productivity and relaxation during an unstructured time. Being productive allows me to do something that I actually enjoy and have the satisfaction of getting something done that will help me out one way or another. Having goals set during the break may sound stressful and unappealing but even just getting one thing done like applying to 10 internships or updating your resume will have your future self thanking you. Trust me.
I also spent my break with my family and got the chance to see a few friends in between. I was able to spend some time with college friends and old high school friends during the break which was really nice and helped with my mental health. Living at home full time while having old friends come home for college has made me be able to see how we are all changing and maturing. It has helped me gain a lot of perspectives and appreciate the limited time I have with them. Of course, being safe and keeping others safe is always a priority during these times but having personal interactions with important people in your life can be very beneficial for your mental state. For me, sitting down at a restaurant or walking around with a friend or group of friends just to catch up and give life updates brings me so much joy and happiness.
I hope this short update about my break and a few pieces of advice was helpful to anyone out there. I wish you all the best. Stay safe and good luck!