Ask James: Overbooked Student Struggles to Enjoy Summer

Julian Aguayo

James Newman, Advice Columnist
May 30, 2023

How do I enjoy my summer when I have many things to do?

-Overbooked Student

Dear Overbooked, 

Enjoying our sometimes short-feeling summer is one of the most important things to do when granted a break from the typical stressors of school and work. However, especially when it comes to school, those stressors seemingly migrate into the summer in the form of prepping for college, AP summer assignments, internships, and so on. But you can still enjoy the peace and tranquility of summer. 

Summer can feel like any break…fleeting and insufficient, again even more so when combined with the clamoring work of school creeping into it. However, the method to combat this is simple. It is all in the planning!

Here are a few tips to organize your summer:

  1. Get out a list and write down—in a planner/notebook or even typed into your notes app—any assignments you to complete before the start of school
  2. Write down any days you are busy; working, leaving home, viewing colleges, etc. Try and ask your parents or guardians for help on specific days and if they have anything else planned for the summer.
  3. See what days you are free and this could be weekends or a day off in the week. Just a day or days in your calendar/schedule that you can just breathe and enjoy yourself.
  4. Plan when you can get those things done, the earlier the better! Just try to be as prepared as you would like yourself to be, please do stress yourself out too much.
  5. Map everything out and start to get going with the days and obviously, things may come up and change but a part of growing up is also learning to be adaptable.

Now, as we grow up. Summer has become more and more jam-packed with fewer and fewer fun activities. Still, you can always find time to do some of the things you want to do for fun. If that means reading a book all day, then try and find the time to do that. Don’t let people define your fun, by any means. Boundaries are important not just for summer but for your mental health as well. Think about how you can bring joy to those stressors growing around you, life can be incredibly stressful but you can always at least try to make it easier.

I hope this helps you. See you again, XOXO,

James