As we are nearing the end of the school year, many of us are excited for the upcoming summer break. Although summer break is the time for us to relax and kick it with some friends and family with spontaneous trips and activities, some of us often face days in the summer where there’s just nothing to do. If you’re like me where you easily get bored, try taking some summer classes to help fulfill your boredom and get ahead of your school work! With the upcoming summer registration just around the corner, here are some helpful tips to get the classes you need. 

Plan out your classes

Whether you’re taking classes at UCR, another university or at a local community college, take a look at their summer class schedule before your registration time. Many of these schools post their summer class schedule before registration starts in order for students to plan out what classes they need to take. Looking at your degree audit is a great start to finding out the classes you need in order to get ahead! You can also meet with your advisors to make sure you’re taking the correct class in order to graduate. If you’re taking classes at a community college, make sure to take a look at assist.org! The website allows you to see if the credits from your summer classes at your local community college will transfer over to UCR. 

Don’t overwork yourself

A lot of the time, we believe that we should take as many classes as we can in the summer in order to get ahead on our school work. However, this can become very overwhelming as you are unable to have a break for yourself physically and emotionally. Summer is the time for you to relax as you prepare for the next upcoming school year. If you overwork yourself over summer, you’ll suddenly feel drained at the beginning of the school year. Instead of taking 5 or 6 classes over the summer, start with one or two classes. Many of these classes have multiple sessions throughout summer as they are 6-8 weeks long. You can always add more classes and take a different session if you feel like you’re able to take more classes!

Make time for yourself

Summer is consistently full of activities and vacations. Make sure you’re planning time to spend with your family and friends! Catch up with your friends from back home or visit your family members from out-of-state or country. Go on that Cabo trip you’ve been planning with your best friends! Make some extra cash by getting a part-time job at your local coffee shop or becoming a lifeguard at your community pool! Although academics are important, your well-being comes first. Take this three-month-long vacation to focus on yourself and have the time of your life while you’re at it!