Wondering how to get smarter over the summer? One of the best tips is to watch educational videos online. Also, you could try and become more physically active as this has many benefits.
How can I learn over the summer?
Discussed below are 11 ways to get smarter, so keep reading.
1. Ted Talks
TED Talks are informative seminars that discuss various topics. TED Talks are freely available on YouTube and, there is an official channel for them.
Instead of watching them online, you could attend them in person. Finding TED Talks near you shouldn’t be hard if you do your research. They’re done all over the world. You would absorb more information by being there in the flesh than watching online.
2. Watch YouTube Videos
YouTube is has many kinds of informative videos. What topics are you interested in? If you type them into the YouTube search bar, you should find several channels that make videos on them.
You can also check out sites like Quora and Reddit to see which videos people recommend.
3. Play Board Games
Have fun while improving your mind by playing some board games. This would help you stimulate your brain, as they require critical thinking. Many board games also require you to play in groups, so you can get your friends or family together.
Of course, you can play cards too. It’s another great way to have fun.
4. Give Netflix Documentaries a Try
YouTube has a vast video bank. However, the content on the platform won’t be as high in quality as the content on streaming services like Netflix.
Netflix has one of the best documentary collections compared to other streaming services. It won’t be hard to find a documentary on whatever you want to learn more about.
The beauty of most streaming services is that they let users get their first month free.
5. Read Some Books
Unfortunately, most people don’t read as much as they used to. You can improve your knowledge if you crack open a book.
Head over to your local library or bookstore. You’ll have access to a large selection of material to read. There are sites that let you access free e-books too. You could use them, but the book selection won’t be as diverse as that of a library or bookstore.
If reading is not your strong suit, there are sites like Audible that let you access audiobooks. The beauty of these sites is that they hire celebrities and famous authors as narrators.
Of course, you could join a book club as well. Facebook is an excellent place to look for some.
If you like, you could read through your textbooks. You have a good idea of what you’ll be studying next semester. Reading these topics before classes start would give you a significant advantage.
6. Take an Online Course
There are several online courses you could take. These programs let students from all over the world enroll, and they are usually quite short. You could get your certificate in a couple of weeks.
Instead of joining an online course, a university near you may offer part-time courses that you could take over the summer too. They would either be in person or on the internet.
7. Visit a Museum
Visit a museum near you. You don’t have to spend long there, just an hour or two in the exhibits. You’ll be exposed to art, history, and so much more.
What’s great is that some museums are set up like interactive classrooms. They have intelligent displays that quiz people as they go by.
If you are short on cash, don’t worry. Most museums are free on certain days of the week.
8. Get Moving
Hitting the gym won’t just help you look better, but you could become smarter too. Research has shown that regular physical activity can improve brain function. If you’re studying some tough subjects in school, staying active would help you remember what you learned when classes start again.
9. Get Your Sleep
Whenever you sleep, your body recuperates. Back when school was still on, you probably spent nights cramming for tests. Try to get some much-needed rest. This would help with your cognition and ability to handle tasks better.
10. Google New Things
Search engines like Google have information on everything you want to know. To become smarter over the summer, search for interesting topics whenever you can. You’ll be able to deep dive into a subject and learn a lot.
11. Be an Intern
What career do you want a future in? Give yourself a head start by interning in this field during the summer. You’ll have hands-on-experience in the career path you’re interested in.
If you’re a college student, it should be easy for you to become an intern. Many universities offer internships as a part of their course. Speak to your academic advisor and find out if there are any positions available.
Final Thoughts
Maybe you’re tired of spending your summer sitting around doing nothing. This is why you can make use of your free time to become smarter. There are many ways you could make learning fun. For one, you could try watching documentaries on Netflix or Ted Talks on YouTube. If this is not your cup of tea, become more physically active, as this boosts brain functions.
Examples of what you could do are:
- Reading more books
- Joining a part-time course
- Visiting museums
- Getting more sleep