Goodbye Books, Hello Summer!

Our summer intern Sophie gives us her thoughts on the end of the academic year..

So finally, with the rise of the beautiful summer sun it’s time to pack away all of those books and notes and get out and enjoy the rays (we never know how long it will last)! I don’t know about anyone else but for me it seems that each academic year just passes by faster and faster, something which is becoming more and more terrifying. After just completing my first year in university it brings me closer and closer to having to decide what kind of a future I want, something which is very hard to comprehend and which I keep putting off! For those of you the same age I’m sure you will agree how scary it is and I hope you are in the same position as me! For those of you who have gone through it I would love to hear about your experiences and for those of you who have not yet experienced it, I am extremely envious of you having your full university experience ahead of you.

As much as we all dread that early alarm call every weekday morning I think the majority of students will all agree that some of the best times have happened on school or university grounds. As the year draws to a close many of us become quite nostalgic thinking of the past year, especially for those in final years. For me, this past year has been a whole new experience making the transfer from quite a strict school with many rules to a whole new world of freedom and fun. It has been the first taste of real freedom and responsibility moving into study at university level where everything is left up to you with no one telling you when you have to be in class or when you should be doing your homework and study. My first reaction was; this is brilliant! But every so often I wish there was someone making sure I did all the work I’m supposed to be doing and not just enjoying myself too much!

I am sure I’m not the only one who wishes they began studying that little bit sooner, every time I have exams I say I will but it never changes! For many people knowing how to study is the problem. Cramming has become an all too regular occurrence but I am hoping this will all change with the launch of Examtime which will allow me to try a whole new method of online revision and will give me the chance to create an interactive revision timetable and study planner. This new revision guide will help me structure all of my notes and exercises from the beginning of the year and providing new, interesting study methods such as mindmap software and flashcards which will make exam revision a lot easier and more interactive, saying goodbye to last minute study. As horrible as the thought of exams are, just think of when they’re finished and all of the things you will now have time to do!

With the end of the academic term upon us, comes also the end of a tightly structured lifestyle. We are now free to have our lie in as it is not only something restricted to the weekend! Something I think summer is great for is trying new things and going and visiting new places. Last summer I began regular surf camps, having done only small bits before I was not the best but I decided to give it a proper chance and surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it! Try it! Take up something new this summer whether it is drama, art, singing, cooking or some form of sporting activity, you will be surprised how much enjoyment you can get out of it as well as how many new people you will meet! If you do not feel up to taking a risk and starting something completely new, work on a talent you already have, maybe something you abandoned for a while and always meant to go back to.

If you have the opportunity to travel you are even luckier. I have always visited the same places on holidays so this year I am extremely excited to visit different cities while inter railing across Europe. Many people are visiting Vancouver in Canada for the summer and as sad as it is to see them leave, it will be great when we all come back from our separate adventures and hear all of the different experiences and people we met as opposed to just your usual safety net of friends.

So after putting all of the school materials away, ready for hibernation for the next few months, try and fight the urge to just sit back on the couch and watch TV all day, or lie in bed for hours on end and instead get outside and try something new. It would be horrible to waste the lovely weather on a programme you can watch at any stage, instead of getting out of the house and trying something new and exciting.