The month-long school-leaving board exams are sure to leave you exhausted but, thereafter, there is the three-month break to look forward to. This is the perfect time to unwind by doing nothing — or the things you like to do most such as binge-watching Netflix, getting rid of all the extra weight because of stress-eating or rustling up Instagram-worthy dishes. This is also the time some of you will be busy preparing for your competitive exams. If you ever feel bored or tired, here are a few fun ways you can unwind. Bonus: they will also look good on your curriculum vitae.
Drive, swim, fight
This is the time to pick up skills that will take you a long way in life, literally. Learn to ride a bicycle if you haven’t yet and a bike or scooter. Don’t forget to use a helmet while riding a two-wheeler. Or, you can join a driving class to master the car.
The other life-skill you should have is swimming. Join a swimming class if you haven’t mastered it yet. If you are an expert swimmer, practise this skill to beat the heat and get fit. Learning martial arts — taekwondo, kick-boxing, karate, judo or other self-defence techniques — is a great way to stay safe and fit too.
“I have a to-do list for when the boards are over. First on it is learning to drive. I will be turning 18 so I will be officially old enough to drive too,” says Mohammad Aamir of St Thomas’ Day School in Calcutta.
Go places
Do you like travelling and adventure? Then take that dream solo trip or go backpacking with friends.
You could trek to Sandakphu, the highest peak in West Bengal, or from Yuksom to Dzongri or, for those with more time and stamina, on to Goechala pass in Sikkim. You can also cycle along the Sikkim part of the historic Silk Route, try rock climbing at Ayodhya Hills or rappelling at Joychandi hill in Purulia, West Bengal; rafting at Khandoli Dam, Jharkhand; snorkelling at Tajpur beach, West Bengal. You can also hike through the Neora Valley National Park in Darjeeling district or go zorbing, parasailing, kayaking, jet-skiing or zip-lining at Tajpur beach and Mandarmani, both in West Bengal. Or visit Satkosia, the little-known tiger reserve in Odisha.
“After my boards, I am going trekking in Sikkim with friends,” says Aaquib Asgar of St Thomas’ Day School, Calcutta.
YouTube or blog it
Blog about your travel experiences or vlog your road trips. If make-up is your passion, start a YouTube channel to host tutorials. Whatever you are interested in — reading, watching TV, gardening, baking or computers — can be parlayed into YouTube videos with a little creativity. It will not only burnish your presence on social media but may even help start a business like it did for Amaya Agarwal.
“I was fascinated by slime ever since it became a craze among my peers and I spent a lot of time making slime and following new slime trends on social media,”says the 11-year-old student of La Martiniere for Girls, Calcutta. She utilised the break after her final exams to start a YouTube channel hosting tutorials on how to make different varieties of slime. “Eventually, I started selling my handmade slime through Instagram and YouTube. Now The Slime Bakery delivers across India. I have already got people asking me to review their slime while some others give my slime a positive response.” said the bubbly girl. While Amaya started a little early, there is no reason you cannot start now.
If you prefer the written word, simply start blogging a captivating story and keep your reader thirsty for the next chapter.
Volunteer
Get brownie points by teaching underprivileged children or caring for the inmates of an old age home. If that feels like too much of a commitment, volunteer with an NGO and help out in small ways. Apart from looking good on your CV, this may also help you decide what you want to do in life.
Ornella Conquo was at a loose end after graduation, so she agreed to teach at an NGO-run school in Jadavpur, Calcutta. She enjoyed it so much that she continued for two-and-a-half years. Eventually, she registered for a BEd degree because she wants to become a teacher.
Read and write
Cultivate the habit of reading the newspaper everyday. Not only will this keep you posted about all that is happening around you but also help in any group discussions that might happen during college admission.
Writing skills are important for academic success, but they’re even more important for career success. So improve your vocabulary, learn the art of writing long essays and practise it.
An easy way to pick up vocabulary and writing skills is reading well-written books. Become a member of the local library and start with books on subjects you love.
Intern
Have you decided which field you want to forge a career in? Then now is the best time to find out whether it is as interesting as you think. Get an internship that helps you observe a person with the work profile you eventually want. Remember, take the job for what you will learn, not for what you will earn.
It is not that difficult to get an internship. Register with sites such as Internshala that offer you options to work from home, in any popular city in India, intern abroad or with an NGO. If you like writing, try out some freelance writing online to add to your CV while you earn.
