Your term papers, projects, and final exams are complete!  It is time to relax, catch up with friends, and spend time with family over the break.  But, just as an athlete in off-season continues to train, you too can find ways to keep your mind sharp between academic terms.  Have fun and stay engaged in thinking.  I am not suggesting strenuous activity because you will need time to re-boot your brain; however, do consider small ways to use what you have learned and do something interesting to reinforce/ practice your studies.

Here are some suggestions:

1. If you are studying a second language try renting a film in that language.

2. Purchase a booklet of logic puzzles.

3. Visit some cultural hot spots such as museums or arboretums in your area.  In Southern California, for example, you could take a day to explore The Griffith Observatory, The Getty Museum, LACMA, Balboa Park.

4. And last but not least, pick up a book!  Here are some non-fiction recommendations:

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

(For the math majors) The Man Who Loved Only Numbers. The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth by Paul Hoffman.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer