Avoid Summer Brain Drain in Three Fun Ways

By now, I am sure you have heard of summer learning loss. Just in case you are not up to date, SLL is an educator’s nightmare and occurs during summer vacation, when students are not exercising their minds. Severity varies by student, but most do lose some of their knowledge and academic skills during the three months of summer vacation.
So, how can you avoid summer learning loss, otherwise known as brain drain? Well, you could enroll in summer school or attempt to complete a course by correspondence. But neither of those activities sound like what students would really like to do with their summer break. Is there any way to avoid summer learning loss, but still enjoy yourself? Actually, yes, there are several.
1. Play mind games. No, not the type of games you play when you first meet a boy/girl you like and want to seem too cool or uninterested. I’m talking about real mind games, like Sudoku or crossword puzzles. Both of these games will force you to “use your Medulla Oblongata,” as Kid Cudi says. Other fun thinking games include checkers, chess, and jigsaw puzzles.
2. Learn a new language. There are so many language-learning programs out there nowadays. With iPhone apps, Rosetta Stone, and websites like Spanish-Word-a-Day.com, you are sure to find a program that makes learning a new language fun and enjoyable for you.
3. Exercise your mind and body. According to WebMD, exercise allows you to “think more clearly, perform better, and your morale is better. This is pure science — stimulate your nervous system and function at a higher level.” To really make your exercise more brain-friendly, try reviewing facts. You could go over vocabulary words if you are learning a new language, try to solve math problems without pencil and paper, or try to memorize all 50 states and their capitals.
You do not have to slave away over complicated scientific formulas or perform long division in your mind. Anything that makes you think will help, and if you can make it fun, why not do so? Just work your brain everyday, and the process of studying when you go back to school will not be so hard.
Also Read:
How to Stay Smart During College Summer Vacation
Avoid Brain Drain on Summer Vacation
High School Summer Reading List