Best Ways to Stay Mentally Sharp Over Summer Break

“If there is no wind, row.” Mr. Thomas Kalb tells me this quote with a slight smile. He teaches Advanced English 1 and Advanced Placement English at Ballard High School.
 
Kalb understands how hard it is for students to retain information during summer break. Although he recommends a lively summer, he suggests never giving up on learning. Go to museums, art galleries and history reenactments. “People’s brains all function differently; some people need to see pretty pictures to help them learn,” he says.
 
Read. And then read more. Kalb suggests books that challenge our minds. Candide by Voltaire does that. He also suggests...
...books about media awareness and manipulation. Everyone should also read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. “It is a very innocent, childlike story about what’s important in life and how easy it is for grownups to get lost in the unimportant”.
 
He suggests mnemonic strategies to help remember information. This helps link pictures and phrases. For example, the word ameliorate. Try thinking of the phrase, a meal Eeyore ate. Why this? Because a meal makes Eeyore better, and reminds you of the definition; to make better or improve. Another trick is to take old notes and form outlines of the information. It all begins with your notes. Don’t forget about them.
 
Travel. Travel is the best way to generate interest in new things. As Whitman says, “Suck the marrow of life.” Keep journals. It’s surprising how much is forgotten. High school is important, but only a small portion of your life.
 
Just remember, “Keep breathing and see what the tide brings.”


Contributed by Morgan Bard, student at Ballard High School and Teen Reporter for Today's Family magazine.
Photo Source: She Knows Parenting