7 THINGS CAMPUS STUDENTS CAN DO OVER HOLIDAY BREAK

University can be exhausting, whether you’re in your first or final year. Work and a busy schedule can take a lot out of a person. Thankfully, vacation (long holiday) is a great time to slow down, recharge, spend time seeing your loved ones and do things you wouldn’t normally have time to do.

You’ll probably never have holidays this long again (sorry), so you should strive to make them productive through the following ways:

1. Temporary jobs

Staying idle and broke at the same time is the last thing anyone wants to face. Whether it’s academic writing, performing arts, stacking supermarket shelves or temping in an office, the good news is there is always plenty of seasonal work available to students. At the end of the day, you get paid for your own hard-work which is quite satisfying since no one could have given you the money for free.

2. Volunteering

This is an easy way of exploring your interests, networking and enhancing your CV while at the same time doing something which adds value to your community. Thus it is an added advantage to personal development as well as community development. This can be done through: mentoring, administrative office work, arts, taking up leadership in church or social actions like environmental cleanup.

3. Get an additional qualification

This entails studying a short-term course which helps you get a certificate. The course can be related to or entirely different from the degree course you are studying at the university you are in. For example, those taking business related courses can take up CPA, which is offered by KASNEB, to act as a bonus to their degree.

4. Pick up a new hobby or skill

You’ll probably feel bored at some point during the long holidays. That’s the time to identify and pick up a new hobby or a skill based mostly on your passion or interest. This includes: Public speaking, cooking, gardening, dancing or photography. You never know what great talent you could be possessing until you give it a try.

5. Start a business

You don’t have to be employed. Be your own boss too. You could start something small like selling jewellery, fashion and hair products. Online advertising is a good one too. Besides, investing in a profitable organization helps you earn dividends in return.

6. Make memories

The best bit about the holidays is reconnecting with friends and family members, so make the most of it. Camping, picnics, jamming, watching movies, swimming, taking nature walks and organizing some play dates will make the holidays enjoyable. All these help in bonding with people whom you didn’t get to spend too much time with during the semester. At the very least, send them a text or email to show them that you’re thinking of them.

7. Home chores

As the adage goes, “east or west, home is the best.” After all the hustle and tussle you’ve had at school, you can only think of home being the best place to unwind. While at home, help where you can or where need be. Assist your little sibling prepare for school, engage in the garden work or help running the family business.

 Bottom-line is avoid staying idle.

“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”