Stay Engaged in School Over the Summer

Love summer? Who doesn't? Looking ahead at, you may wonder how you will be able to stay engaged in your coursework over the summer while working in some fun in the sun.

High-caliber 2 year degree programs, like the ones at Concorde Career College, let you enter a rewarding health care profession more quickly because of accelerated courses.

Keeping the end is mind is essential for overcoming the days where you want to throw the covers back over your head and phone it in during the summer.

Planning will quickly become your strongest asset to make sure you make the most of balancing course work with family obligations, spontaneous get-togethers and vacation plans. Here are a few tips that can help:

Catch the Early Worm

Although it might seem a bit counter-intuitive to suggest rising early during the summer, making the decision to set your alarm to make you get up early can be one of the best things you do all summer.

Making that one decision to wake up early sets you on a course of behavior that research shows can snowball into:

• Better grades because you are on a good routine.
• Improved health because you have time for breakfast and exercise.
• Enhanced productivity because early rising helps your brain to be more efficient.
• Stronger mental health because you reduce stress and rushing in the morning and early morning quiet time.
• Superior sleep because you establish better sleep routines.

Buddy Up With the Course Syllabus

Another great tip, from an experienced college student blogger, is to carefully read the summer class syllabus as soon as you get it and mark down all the assignment due dates on your calendar. Why?

It will help you make sure you keep track of work that is due, and it will also let you see where you have more time in your schedule to plan some breaks.

Better yet, talk with the instructor about expectations and make sure you keep in contact with them throughout the class to let them know you want to stay on top of your work.

Don't Get Trapped in Your Room

Remember that you don't have to hide in your room all day to take courses for your diploma program or associate's degree.

Take a chance to enjoy summer by taking your studying outside. Bring your supplies and books in a backpack along with some snacks and drinks and enjoy nature while you work.

Worried that being outside will be distracting? As a matter of fact, studying outside might actually help students in intense 2 year degree programs to learn more effectively.

A University of Michigan study found that interacting with nature actually helps people improve their memories. The researchers discovered that:

• Being outside in nature improved attention spans and memory performance by 20 percent.
• Interacting with nature prevented mental fatigue.
• Spending time outside has similar positive mental effects as meditating.

Focus on Your Goals as You Pursue

Inevitably students enrolled in accelerated, 2 year degree programs will have to miss some summer events scheduled by friends and family who aren't in class.

So the final tip is to keep your self-talk positive and remember that you will soon be getting the job in health care you want. When you finish strong, you'll be so glad you did!