Summertime is here! It’s nice to finally have a long break to unwind, especially because many other Caribbean medical schools run on trimesters. You’ll definitely need to keep up with your studies, but you should also find other ways to stay active as well. Here are some fun activities to keep your brain engaged while enjoying your vacation:

  1. Yoga Retreat

You may have anatomy down pat in the classroom, but yoga allows you to test your body’s limits. It can also give you a renewed perspective on your studies. Try a relaxing yoga retreat to escape for a few days!

  1. Camping

If you have a few days to spend with the family, go on a camping trip! You can improve your MacGyver-like survival skills or cook up some delicious goodies: grilled cheese and s’mores are perfect over an open fire! Some sun and stars will add to the overall feel-good fun that comes with connecting with nature.

  1. Volunteer Work

If you’re an AUA student, you’ve most likely done some volunteer work. Residency directors look for volunteer experience on your résumé. You should also use volunteering as an opportunity to network with physicians. Bonus: if your volunteer work exercises a skill you enjoy but rarely use, it can help preserve and stimulate your mind.

  1. Cooking

Cavemen may not have been the brightest but cooking helped their brains grow. Because their brains grew, we now have so many more creative applications to cooking. Get that skillet out, find out what’s sitting in that dusty pantry of yours and look up some cool recipes to try. Your friends and family may be pleasantly surprised!

  1. Sports

Time to get outside and play! At AUA, you may have spent some time on the beach or on our tennis courts and cricket field, but you might want to discover something different over the summer. It may challenge your mind and body in ways you didn’t know!

  1. Visit Museums

If you want to keep your brain active, why not visit a museum? It could reinforce your hard-earned medical knowledge or teach you something new. You could even see some weird medical oddities. There are literally hundreds of opportunities to do all of this and more, including checking out Einstein’s brain!

  1. Read

By the end of the semester, you’re probably sick of reading and re-reading your medical textbooks. Time to change things up! If you enjoy novels, biographies, or comic books, summer is a great time to indulge. Reading is not only relaxing but it also stimulates your brain as well and it will keep your vocabulary and writing skills sharp.

Have any other suggestions for fun summertime activities? Let us know!

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