As a community, we need to be careful of what we invest our time in.

Summer Break is a perfect example of this general concept and of the self-inflicted abuse we unknowingly partake in. Often times, people tend to use this break as a vacation from their education, major/interests or work ethics.

However, before you jump the gun and break out the bermuda shorts on May 3, maybe you should consideration a few things. First of all, let me just say that we are definitely deserving of a break. I don’t think there is any question about that. But we should still be able to set goals for ourselves during our summer vacation just as we would during the school year. Likewise, we should be able to set limitations on certain aspects of our lives that we tend to deem high on our priorities.

Ah, yes – priorities. Those could always use a good re-working. But go ahead and plan road trips, outings, events, etc. Entice yourselves. Just don’t make your time off entirely about socializing, or you’ll miss out on a lot of lucrative opportunities. Try to find summer work that will look good on a resume.

If that means finding work in a field related to your interest, by all means, pursue it. You’re going to want to have money over the summer anyways, so why not earn it doing something that you enjoy? If that means doing some form of internship or community work, do it.

Don’t limit yourself to a job just because it’s guaranteed or convenient. Don’t take the easy way out. Invest some of your time into seeing what’s out there – maybe there’s something for you. Know how to balance relaxation and social outlets with productivity.

I’m not talking about winning a Nobel Peace Prize necessarily (though, I suppose that would be preferred). “Productivity” can be sought in something as small as making to-do lists. And if you get everything on your daily list or weekly list done, then (in theory) you spent your time well.

You were productive. Too often, we get into the habit of falling out of our school routine over the summer because we don’t give ourselves deadlines. We don’t set goals. And eventually, we get out of the loop. This process manifests itself into a snowball effect, and by the time school comes back around, we’re really feeling the heat.

So, to counter this undesirable circumstance, we should try our best to keep in the routine. It’s no secret that life isn’t going to get any easier. It’s productivity and deadlines from here on out, folks. So let us strive for efficiency in all of our endeavors. Because time is a rationing mechanism, and our decisions control its fluctuation.