If you or your students are like me when I was a teen, there is a good chance you see holidays as, well, holidays. It’s the time you take to unwind, destroy your sleep schedule, hang out with your friends and do so much more than you normally could because of the obligations you had at school. Here’s the thing, though. Studying during the holidays can be quite beneficial.

No Pressure

Going over the required reading or the curriculum in advance is a great way to get acquainted with the subject matter without feeling pressured to do so like what you may feel before an upcoming test. Group projects, term papers, complex assignments – all of these and more are non-existent during the holidays. You can study and learn at your own pace.

Better Chance to Learn and Not Just Study

Natalie Portman has been credited with saying: “I don’t love studying. I hate studying. I love learning. Learning is beautiful.” What do you think that means? During our school years, most of us get caught up in trying to demonstrate our knowledge properly to receive the desired grade, be it maximum, minimum, or anywhere in between, without any regard for learning.

If you pick up a book over the holidays, you know that there are no grades to receive, no praises to be made, and no parrot-like repetitions of definitions and book passages. It’s just you and the knowledge that is readily available. Studying over the summer is a great way to learn, and not just cram.

Habits

If you goof off the entire summer, you will be in for a nasty surprise when the school year starts. Studying during the holidays allows you to remain in the loop and keep your habits regarding schoolwork. It’s a great way to stop thinking of your school as prison and punishment and more as an integral part of your life for the time being.

Get Ready

Let’s discuss the elephant in the room – some teachers are not the best and some students need all the help they can get. There is only so much leeway for both that the curriculum is likely to allow. The point is this: if you read up during the summer holidays, you are going to be prepared for whatever the school year throws at you when you get back. You are going to get overwhelmed by different subjects, deadlines, and your own personal goals, but if you get a head start, then it’s not such a big deal.

Putting it in terms that may be more relevant to a teenager, studying during the summer allows you to cram less during the school year, effectively maintaining your academic success, while giving you the opportunity to either pursue extra-curricular activities or develop a rich social life (or, if you really organized, both). There’s no feeling like beating the system before the games even begin.