Don't Waste Your Summer ☀️

Congrats on wrapping up the school year! Now that summer’s around the corner, let’s think about how to spend it.

I want you to make the most of the next few months. And no, this doesn’t mean you have to spend your entire summer studying or working. Rather, I want you to spend your summer with intention.

This is the perfect time to level up in all areas of your life—academics, wellness, finances, and social. In today’s newsletter, I’m going to cover tips for each category so you can make this your best summer yet.

Academics

As y’all probably know, I was (am) a massive nerd. The summer before high school, I not only completed my summer work, but I started self-studying for my classes so I could be ahead at the start of the year.

You don’t have to go this far. Rather, I just want you to get ahead on your summer work. One of the worst feelings is starting your summer work the week before school and having time for nothing else. I still have flashbacks, tbh.

Create a schedule for your summer work now. Split your work into small chunks that you can tackle over the coming weeks. You can use a simple spreadsheet for this, or you can use a digital organizer like Scholar OS.

Outside of your coursework, spend some time enhancing your mind in other ways. Pick up a new book or try to learn a new skill. For example, have you always wanted to code? Paint? Rock climb? Get out of your comfort zone and sharpen your mind in ways that feel meaningful to you. I swear you’ll feel unstoppable.

Wellness

Speaking of sharpening your mind, you should also sharpen your body. This doesn’t mean you need to be a meathead powerlifting seven days a week. Rather, just focus focus on the basics:

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Diet

Sleep is much more important than most students realize. For example, did you know that getting under seven hours of sleep for just a few nights can suppress your immune system by up to 70%? Or the fact that one night of 4-5 hours of sleep can lower your ability to form new memories by up to 40%?

I can go on and on with these stats.

Exercise is also critical. The CDC and WHO recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity a day, with most of it being moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity. This can include almost any sort of physical activity—from playing sports to cleaning your room.

You should also weave in some weight training. If you’ve never gone to the gym, I recommend you lift at least three days a week. A simple full-body or PPL routine should suffice.

And you should also focus on diet, of course. Ensure you’re consuming enough water, fiber, probiotics, protein, and vitamins. And try to limit and added sugars and ultra-processed foods, especially closer to bedtime.

I could get a lot more detailed here. If you’re interested, shoot me a DM on Instagram to let me know!

Finances

Yes, you should be getting enough sleep this summer. But you shouldn’t be sleeping on your finances—especially if you’re headed off to college soon.

I was making money every summer in school, whether with a job, internship, or side hustle.

If you’re in college, the standard path is to complete an internship each summer. If you’re in high school, the standard is a job. And if you’re younger, there is no standard, though you could look into a side hustle. For example, I was running YouTube channels and websites in middle school.

But as you make more money, you also need to be mindful of how you’re spending it. Create a budget to ensure that you’re saving and investing most of your money, using the 50/30/20 rule as a foundation. And if you’re headed to college this fall, I might save even extra to ensure you can cover basic living expenses.

Social

In addition to living, you’ll also be spending on socializing, which you should focus on this summer! If you follow my content, I know you’re a type A individual, optimizing for every area of your life. But in the pursuit of “leveling up,” it’s easy to overlook the most important part of summer: spending time with friends and family.

Make sure you actually enjoy your time off school with the people you care about.

If you’re headed off to college this fall, plan one final trip or event with your friends—could be the beach, an amusement part, or even a road trip. Pick something that’s memorable (and falls within your budget).

How are you planning to spend your summer? Are you excited for the next few months? DM me on Instagram (@goharsguide) to let me know!

If you want study help, come join my Discord! We have a global community of students helping each other succeed in school. I’d love to see you there.

If you’re ready to level up next school year, check out Scholar OS. It’s the ultimate Notion template designed to help you organize your classes and life in one place.

I’ll see you next week!

Best,
Gohar