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No Summer Slide: Stay Sharp With Tips From Norwalk Community College

NORWALK, Conn. — With college students back home for the summer, it is the perfect time for rest, relaxation and a much-needed break as they begin to make the transition to summer jobs, travel and other activities. 

Norwalk Community College is offering tips for students to stay sharp over the summer.

Norwalk Community College is offering tips for students to stay sharp over the summer.

Photo Credit: Contributed

But just as important as the well-earned refresh is how to put yourself in the best position this summer to hit the ground running when fall semester comes around. 

Here are some tips from Norwalk Community College to help bring your “A game” back to campus in a few months. 

  • Read, Read, Read – Whether it’s online news sites, top-tier newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times or summer books on the beach, it’s important to keep reading, be informed and stay in active learning mode. An agile and curious mind will help you glide back into the academic mainstream come fall. 
  • Stay Active – The summer months lend themselves to outdoor activities. Take advantage of the opportunity to stay or get into shape, go for hikes, take long walks and enjoy bike rides. The connection between physical activity and receptivity to learning is well established. 
  • Enrich Your Studies – Try to find summer work that tracks with your field of study. If employment positions are not available, explore volunteer opportunities in your field. This real-world exposure will give you the chance to make practical sense of your studies. 
  • Take a Class – Keep yourself tuned up by taking a summer class, preferably a course that is fun and outside your area of study. It will keep your learning skills sharp, inspire new ideas and broaden your horizons all at the same time. 
  • Measure Yourself – Evaluate yourself against your peers in terms of their pursuits, experiences and accomplishments. This process of self-analysis will instill confidence in your progress and identify areas you may want to model for improvement. You can then carry over the ability to make positive attitude adjustments to your college approach come fall. 
  • Keep Engaged – As nice as it is to “unplug” in summer, it is important to stay engaged and immerse yourself – socially, culturally and intellectually. Travel discoveries, summer trips with friends, seeing the latest movies and visiting museums will help continue to broaden your world and keep your learning receptors open. 
  • Temper Social Media – Try to spend at least two hours each day away from social media and your phone. It will help prepare you for the concentrated focus you will need to apply to your coursework once fall term begins. 
  • Practice Time Management – Use the summer to plan your schedule for the new school year, taking into account course load, job, family and extracurricular activities that can all weigh on your time demands. Careful time management is a key to successful academics.

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