4 Ways School Therapists Can Make the Most of Summer Break
As you know, one of the special benefits of working in a school is the built-in vacation time you are able to enjoy on the school calendar. Once your school’s year is over, you have the whole summer before your next assignment starts! So, what should you do with all that freedom? To help inspire you, we’ve compiled a list of potential trips, activities, educational opportunities, and more, so you can make the most of your summer break. We’ve enlisted the help of some Advanced Travelers to share what they do too!
1.) Check Off Your Travel Bucket List
The reason you probably chose a career in travel therapy is because you enjoy exploring new places and experiencing new aspects of life while you work. While you’re on break from work, though, you have a perfect opportunity to book a ticket to your personal wish list of destinations. Whether you’ve been dreaming of Bali beaches, the Amazon rainforest, or a wine tour in Napa Valley, this is your chance to make those dreams a reality.
2.) Visit Family and Friends
We all know how hard it is to find the time to visit parents, relatives, and old friends—the speed of work, life, and finances can have a way of passing us by. So, with the freedom of a summer break, where time slows down a bit, you might want to drop in on those you’ve missed. Not to mention, you’ll be able to chow down on Mom’s home cooking again!
3.) Read, Write, Watch
Summer break used to mean a reading list of required books to ring in the next school year. Now, you can make your own booklist to read for pleasure. It’s an opportunity for you to sit in a comfy spot (the beach, anyone?) and get lost in the pages of your favorite new—or old—novel. If reading isn’t your thing, there are a variety of other ways to relax and entertain. Maybe you’d rather keep a journal of your summer endeavors, or binge that show you’ve been waiting to watch for the past nine months. The choice is yours!
4.) Prepare for Next School Year
Even with the freedom of leaving work for a few months, you can always keep sharpening your skills as a school therapist to start the next year with confidence. You can brush up on your discipline, listen to industry podcasts, read articles, and focus on aspects of your practice that you want to improve on going forward—mixed in with the rest of your summer fun, of course!
How Your Fellow Therapists Enjoy Their Summer Breaks:
Leah, OT: Germany with her grandparents, Alaskan cruise, and China with a coworker
Kaiti, SLP: Going home to visit family during summers and spend time reselling clothing online
Will, PT: Spending time outside
Heidi, SLP: Road trip through some beautiful national parks
Julie, SLP: Usually an international trip and lots of time at home with family
Shayna, SLP: Backpacked Asia, France/Spain/Portugal month-long trip, & camping the Canadian Rockies
Emily, SLP: Visited family back home and then road tripped for 2+ months all around the west coast to national parks
If that doesn’t get you excited for your summer break, we don’t know what will! With ample time at your disposal, the possibilities are endless. Even if relaxing and being at home is more your idea of summer fun, we hope you enjoyed this list of activities and we will see you next school year!
