With the year coming to a close, we students get excited to finally have the months of free time we’ve been waiting for; hanging low at the pool, earning money at that summer job, or just sleeping in. It’s a high schoolers cap to depressurize and finally de-stress over a year of hard work and grade balancing. But while are out having the times of our lives, sometimes we forget that we do lose something valuable without school. Sure, it may be our friends, our favorite teachers, school clubs, etc, but theres another valuable thing that a young adult needs in their basis of life: a schedule.

Sure, we may have to wake up at 6:30 (Or sleep in another 10 minutes), try to find the best thing to wear, brush our teeth, wash our face, and get out of the house all in time for school. But this type of routine gives us structure in our day and it gives us a healthy momentum in school/work life. But, with the free flow of summer break, we do frequently lose that schedule and fall into unhealthy habits like staying up late, losing certain elements of care, or even shutting up in the house all summer vacation. Students love free time, but we do need stability. For example, a couple of days of summer break you focus on sleeping in, but consistently your body wakes you up at 6-6:30 am. This is your body’s calling for structure within the time of unstructured calamity.

According to ECLKC.gov, having familiar activities does provide comfort during uncertain times, and for our bodies, having an effective routine can help reduce stress and lead to better mental health and less anxiety (NWmedicine.org).

Yes, school is tiring. No one can deny that fact. Balancing social and academics is a hard task, but school can give us one thing. That is a schedule, or an anchor of consistency within yourself and in life. So don’t be afraid to set those alarms, find healthy habits, and take care of yourself this summer.