Staying Motivated During Mid-Trimester

The Diocese of Orlando’s Catholic school students have a much anticipated two-week break for the Christmas holidays. This break is a fantastic opportunity for students to relax and occupy their thoughts with vacations, visiting family members, eating turkey and dressing, and exercising outside in the much cooler winter weather. When the Catholic schools in Orlando are back in session after the break, many students find their momentum is lagging and they have a difficult time falling back into the habit of studying. Below are a few ideas that can help students keep their minds fresh and ready to learn when school begins again.

• Exercise: Surprisingly, when you are outside hiking, running, participating in sports, or playing catch with your family, your brain is releasing chemicals that stimulate you to feel good and learn better. Exercising for 30 minutes a day will keep your brain stimulated and help you to jump back into learning.
• Sleep patterns: Staying up until the wee hours of the morning during most of Christmas break will make it difficult to suddenly wake early when school begins. Sleeping odd hours or for not very long during the night causes a buildup of proteins at nerve junctions, making it more difficult to learn new information or understand what is presented.
• Less stress: School can be stressful. Enjoy the break without the added punch of stress. Spend a few days without any planned activities and let yourself rest. Stress affects the short-term memory area of your brain (the hippocampus), and the more stress within your life, the more likely it will be that you are unable to remember simple ideas. Freeing your life of stress will begin the process of proper memory storage once more.
• Brain games: Crossword puzzles, brain teasers, jigsaw puzzles, family games such as Boggle or Monopoly, or computer learning games are all intriguing ways to keep your brain active without the added stress. Spend some time every day of your break building a Lego model or a K’Nex roller coaster to keep your brain active if you do not like games.

A mix of rest and activity in a stress-free environment will help tremendously when school begins again. You will come back to your Catholic school in Orlando with a refreshed mind and spirit, ready to tackle the exams and activities your school has in store for you. Contact the Diocese of Orlando at 407-246-4903 and read our blogs to learn more about study skills, the importance of sports, and how a Catholic education will prepare you for the future.