You breathe a sigh of relief as you shuffle out of the classroom. You suddenly find an uncomfortable blank follows item No. 98 of that seemingly never ending queue of things to do. Now what?
In a week’s time, it will be the first day of that hiatus they call “sem break.” Admit it. There is nothing else you would rather do than A: suspend all sensory-motor activity indefinitely—hibernate! Or B: Pig out! Go on a food trip to Pampanga, indulge your sweet tooth with about a dozen cream puffs, and devour a healthy helping of kwek-kwek (boiled quailed eggs coated with an orange batter and deep-fried).
But here’s the rub: once you’ve regained your senses after a couple days of letting loose your inner Bacchus, I’d bet an elephant you would find yourself staring into thin air, yet again. Here are a couple of other ways to celebrate your post-semester triumph.
To do #1 : Exercise.
Last time you checked, that roll of lard in your lower midsection (read: bilbil) packed 10 more pounds. Lower back pain is sucking the life out of you. You’d hate to admit it, but you feel worse than that lola next door, who, curiously, somehow makes it out alive after playing guerilla with her nine grandchildren and her daily Tai Chi.
Why don’t you grab a pair of old sneakers and hit the pavement? Grab a couple of similarly stressed-out school buddies for an intense game of badminton. Get down and dirty playing ultimate frisbee. Consider trekking the city you’re in. Splurge a bit by capping off your day with an intense full body massage—you’re doing yourself a favor.
To do #2: Pick up loose threads.
Take time to read that half-finished novel you started before the semester kicked off. How about that book you bought five months ago, still wrapped in clear plastic and gathering dust in one corner of your room? Maybe you have a blog, whose last post reads “May 15. Loving CamSur!” It’s time to get your blog’s traffic up again.
Maybe you’ve unwittingly shut off your inner support group—your parents or that long-time friend—the people who matter to you the most, simply because you were too “busy” to even smile. Give them a bear hug. Better yet, take them out for pizza.
To do #3: Write a ‘Thank You’ note
You’ve made it this far, but not without that friend who was always there to endure your periodic outbursts of hysteria at 1 a.m., or that complete stranger who took the time to walk you through that lecture that left you completely baffled. How about that librarian who always smiled when you would ask for help in finding that long-lost periodical? Consider the simplicity of a handwritten thank you note.
To do #4: Make a post-mortem
If you’ve found yourself barely making the grade come exam time after hopelessly attempting to juggle commitments to clubs, and trying to maintain as decent a social life as possible, or turning hermit, studying with sweat and tears and still come out with a flattering “F,” it’s time for a post-mortem.
What strategy worked and what did not? What should you have done, or could have done, but for one reason or another, never did? Maybe there was something you unwittingly glossed over. Take a pencil, and a clean sheet of paper and jot down your thoughts.
To do #5: Have a plan
Plan your sem break. Make a mini Bucket List. Have a goal in mind that you must, at all costs, accomplish during the break. It could be as serious as doing some soul-searching and finding out a bit more about that elusive “meaning of life,” or sprucing up your resumé. It could be something as ambitous as creating a full-blown summer fashion collection. It could be something off the beaten path, such as going for a trek on Mount Pulag or cliff diving in Palawan.
Need more? Take it from Nat Geo: “Curiosity kills boredom.”
