How do you have a good holiday break and achieve ‘wellbeing’ over summer? The finish line is coming into sight. Junior exams are over and NCEA exams are about to start.

Here are some tips to achieve 'wellbeing over the summer'

1. Perspective

King’s is a school that challenges you to become the best version of yourself. It asks of you nothing less than personal excellence which means doing the best you can. 

This means you sometimes get stretched out of your comfort zone to grow. This can be tiring! After a demanding year give yourself some credit for what you have achieved, and definitely build in a lot of rest and relaxation to get your brain ready for another year of challenges.

If you think you have not done so well in exams, look at it as a learning experience and try better next time. It’s about learning to meet challenges and at times you have to learn to fail or you will fail to learn.

2. Talk to real people over the summer

We see more and more people who can talk to someone online but can’t talk in public. Yes, Instagram, Tiktok, Fortnight and Snapchat are fun, but they are also not real spaces.

People often say things online they would not say in real life or face to face. A lot of people are actually pretending to be someone other than themselves online. In real life, a lot of people don’t necessarily have good communication skills. Some people find it difficult to talk and shut down.

Here is the secret: none of us know how to communicate in real life for a start. We learn by practicing it with real people. Everyone learns to communicate by practice.

So again, we invite you to step out of your comfort zone this summer. The more often you are uncomfortable, the bigger your comfort zone grows. You’ll be surprised to find out, it becomes comfortable after a while to talk to others. Socialise in person and pick up the courage and go to that person you really want to talk to and start a conversation with him/her/them.

3. Have fun:

• You have just been through exams which is a very stressful time and your brain needs some downtime
• Stretch out your childhood and play (leave the adult stuff for later)
• Ensure you are connected to others (Fortnight, Snapchat, Insta doesn’t count)
• Fun (again I don’t mean Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok – they make you addicted). Have fun but be smart about it.
• Get away from your screen and be in the real world (especially in the sun. Sunlight helps your brain produce serotonin which makes you feel good).
  
  

4. Sleep

Be careful not to get stuck in a rut of late nights and late mornings - try and see some of the mornings. See what they look like ;-) Don’t lie in bed until too late in the mornings (your brain will go round and round in circles and you won’t get enough sunlight which will make your brain not function as well as it might do if you get up).

5. Challenge yourself and set a goal

Take on a challenge over the summer. Challenge yourself to do something new, set a goal. 

Keep your mind working and develop a new skill, e.g. learn how to surf, paint, write a song, climb a mountain, watch a sunrise.

Have fun and take on adventures. Just remember when stepping up to a challenge, “stepping-up” means being able to take responsibility. It will boost your confidence, raise your self-esteem, teach you that you can be creative and that you are self-sufficient (you are doing it for yourself on your own).

6. Make the world a better place

'Pay it forward’ by practising random acts of kindness. Doing things for others actually improves well-being.

That’s it from the counselling team for another year. Enjoy your upcoming break and remember: school holidays are a time to re-invent yourself and become the best version of yourself.