Students blog

A break. 

That’s what we all strive for. Whether you’re planning a little getaway through a road trip, dreaming of a bigger journey farther way, or simply looking forward to some time at home,  we want to live in the moment and completely enjoy our stress relief for a time.  Even in the midst of municipal lock downs due to COVID, we can still find ways to make the most of time off. Here are some tips and tricks to completely utilize your break to its fullest.

1 – Take advantage of the tourists’ and locals’ favorite spots

If you’re traveling, of course the highest priority is to be mindful of the current CDC health guidelines. Once that’s taken care of, consider going to the nooks and crannies in an area that you’re not familiar with will allow you to become your own little Indiana Jones with the new sights you’ll encounter. Search online for insider tips on must-see places or events that are available. Even exploring a city in your state that you or your friends have never visited can be a vacation. Soak in the culture wherever you go whether it be near or far.

2 – Put your phone on silent

Keeping your attention focused on other activities instead of your phone allows you to stay in the relaxed mood that you’re aspiring to stay in. This is when the ‘Do Not Disturb’ option on your phone becomes your best friend. If you really lack self-control, put it in a different room and keep it there. Why surf through all of the various social media apps and watch people’s TikToks when you’re in a new environment? Live in the moment; take in your surroundings instead of your phone!

3 – Lighten your workload beforehand

Try to get as much work done as possible before you jet off for vacation mode so you don’t spend your free time dreading to play the unruly game of “catch up” when you return back to school or work. This can easily be achieved by staying organized and motivated as well as outlining your tasks. Don’t procrastinate! 

4 – Treat yourself

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go completely overboard. Do something that you have been wanting to do, but haven’t had the opportunity. Spoil yourself. It could be as simple as sleeping in an extra hour or watching a show that you have been dying to watch. 

5 – Indulge in your hobbies

Take advantage of apps like Groupon and Skyscanner because they provide deals with local businesses near you or let you explore cheap flights and hotels where you can stay. You’ll be able to ball on a budget and try out the new hobbies you have been considering. 

6 – Go out of your comfort zone

Ever considered taking goat yoga or hiking an unknown trail? Now’s the time to do it. Following up on step five, you can utilize the deals and continue having fun on a budget. If you’re hesitant to try something new on your own, bring a friend to do it with you. 

7 – Connect with friends and family

Sometimes work and school overwhelms and consumes you from your little circle of friends and family. Catch up with that friend you have been thinking about just to see how they’re doing. Take your parents out. Go on a small road trip with some of your close buddies. Do something that is relaxing to you, but also reconnects you with those you love most. 

Know that you DESERVE this break. Everyone needs a little moment to breathe and catch their breath. Do not feel like you are completely slacking off simply because you are “on a break.” With all that’s going on in our world today, breaks are especially important to our health—mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, and more. You’ll be back to reality soon enough, refreshed and ready to focus on what’s next!

“O-H!” “I-O!”

That’s the universally known chant of The Ohio State University. Nowadays, anyone can just shout “O-H!” and get a response not just in the Columbus area, but anywhere in the world. Don’t believe it? Try it out wherever you are. A stranger is bound to respond because that is the Buckeye spirit! 

No joke, when I was in Amsterdam over the summer, I decided to test the waters and shout out “O-H” to see if I’d get a reaction; sure enough, an “I-O” echoed through the canal-filled city. No matter where you are, the Buckeye school spirit runs deep and we are world-renowned for it. 

Positive and Passionate

Even before I officially became a student at Ohio State, I quickly grasped how positively everyone had spoken about the university—it was one of the swaying factors for me as I narrowed down my top choices. 

The passion of all the faculty members in every discipline drives home the fact that a college should feel like home to you. I knew that choosing to attend a school that is known to be massive as well as competitive and diverse will be with me for the rest of my life. 

Sure, my university would attempt to trademark “The,” but that just demonstrates how much we are willing to display our devotion and love for our school and sports. Everyone has school pride and this is not only demonstrated with our football team, but also with our other sports teams, academics, activities, students, alum, and a plethora of other achievements as well. 

Local and National Spirit

This is just a microcosm of what it’s like to attend a school that is driven with school spirit as it pervades through the very fabric of the local towns and cities around it. It is a part of the mainstream culture for Ohio children across the state. School spirit makes a huge difference from merely being a school to your school. 

It sets a tone for prospective students as well as other students at other universities and colleges that we are proud of our school and this is immeasurable. School spirit practically construes the highest possible expectations and goals that one sets for themselves and their surroundings, as well as striving for more uplifting changes in not only the university but also abroad. 

As a student at Ohio State, these various things bring a lot of pride. Residents from a gamut of cities around me are fans of my school. From knowing its name, reputation, and legacy, pride and spirit can be found everywhere. Not only that, but celebrities and athletes are not just from my school, but also fans of my school. That is something that you can’t get at every college. 

I want to encourage other students from other institutions to demonstrate their own pride and love for their respective schools, because it is truly a privilege to have school spirit. 

It is fairly known that academics plays a crucial role for graduating and applying for post-secondary routes; however, volunteering and participating in extracurricular activities has a hand in the application process too. Students are always told how important extracurricular involvement is throughout their high school and collegiate years. As classwork begins to mount, students may forget how valuable these voluntary acts are. Strong academia can only get a student so far. There is a plethora of benefits that extracurricular activities provide. 

Broadening Your Horizons

One benefit of extracurricular involvement is how it can broaden a student’s social circle as they will be surrounded by like-minded people that have similar interests. With that, the opportunity to create long-lasting friendships and socializing is inevitable. In the first semester of my freshman year, I applied to be an advocacy fellow with a local non-profit organization, Asian American Community Services. I also actively volunteered and engaged within my Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) scholars community. Through these clubs, I have made valuable friends that I can barely live without now. 

Building Relationships

Students can build professional and social relationships with their peers, professors, and advisors by engaging in extracurricular activities. These same people want others to strive, too. Whether the club that a student joins is a physical one or professional, it will help strengthen the student’s mind. For example, intramural sports trains a student to learn resiliency and collaboration with others that will be a major benefit in the workplace. A professional development club will allow students to practice public speaking along with training in their future professions. 

As I am a pre-dental student, I joined my university’s Pre-Dental student organization which allows undergraduate students to connect with faculty, professionals, and graduate students in the local area in a gamut of ways—from shadowing and working on research projects to applying for jobs within the dental field and studying for the Dental Admission Test. It has been so beneficial during my first year in college that these doors have been opened to me and my fellow peers through the Pre-Dental club.

Learning Something New

Another benefit of extracurricular involvement is how it will positively impact time management skills. Even though activities like these do add more responsibility to your plate, they can also train you for a more demanding schedule when you enter the workforce. Finding a balance between a variety of extracurricular activities while maintaining high grades and meeting deadlines forces student leaders to make priorities and become good time managers. Not only that, but extracurricular activities can allow a student to take their mind off from their rigorous coursework. Extracurricular activities that will be mentioned in resumes alongside academic achievements will demonstrate to future employers the work ethic the student has learned to maintain throughout their college years. 

College is a place for students to grow and learn for themselves. Students can utilize extracurricular activities to learn more about interests they’ve never before encountered, build their network, and learn employability skills. Good grades place a graduation cap on a student’s head; extracurricular activities allow students to flourish in the coming years after their college career comes to an end. All they have to do is take that leap of faith and take advantage of all their interests. Who knows what you’ll find within yourself?