With the 2022-2023 school year coming to a rapid end, many students are looking forward to a much-needed summer vacation. Though summer break can be a good time for students to de-stress, many find themselves ignoring usual everyday activities that keep them physically healthy. Here at Air Academy, students and staff share ideas as to how to stay healthy over break, to help keep students motivated and in a good mindset. 

Even with the obligation of attending school, many students find that keeping up with good habits can be a challenge 

“I find it hard to make sure I’m really taking good care of myself, most of the time I get bored or just unmotivated but I have gotten really good at taking better care of my skin, I’ve gotten into the habit of washing my face every night before bed which I think has made a pretty big difference,” junior Elijah Ayala said. 

Though school causes excess stress and sleep deprivation, it also reinforces students and staff by creating a daily routine that keeps students both mentally and physically active. 

“Unless they have something to hold them accountable, like a job that gets them up or keeps them on their daily routine like they have at school, it’s really easy to slip into unhealthy habits like sleeping too much or not getting enough exercise. All these things can kind of have a negative effect,” school nurse, Vicki Garcia expressed.

For some students, sticking to a routine that benefits the physical body during a time of uncertainty, has proven to be more of a challenge. Finding a fun and healthy hobby and activity has proven to help keep students in a healthy mindset.

“Up until like last summer, I would just spend summer break doing almost nothing, I would scroll mindlessly on my phone trying to find something to do,” sophomore Anneke Boonzaaijer continued, “last summer I started working out and it honestly really helped me, I kind of saw that it helped a lot with low energy levels, I just felt more awake and energetic.” 

On the other hand, some find it easier to stick to everyday activities like putting a little extra effort into their appearance as a part of their daily routine

“I think it’s important to also focus on the little things like brushing your teeth every day, brushing your hair, or maybe putting on a nice outfit every day just cause I feel like focusing more on your body and taking care of it can help with your mental health,” junior Jamie O’Toole included. 

A big part of living a healthy lifestyle is also monitoring what you put in your body. Eating three balanced meals a day can be a difficult task for teens to comply with regularly. With the comeback of shorts and tank tops during the summer months, many teens start looking to harmful diets to alter their appearances. 

“When you do fad diets, especially keto where you cut everything out and only eat protein and that kind of stuff, your body starts to shut down and conserve those missing fats. When you deprive your body of certain foods, you’re going to crave them,” Nurse Garcia shared.

Overall, making sure to nurture the body, especially during difficult times is a crucial aspect of living a happy and stress-free life! Finding stimulating activities, steady routines, and nutritious foods are all great ways to keep the mind and body in good shape!