Why taking a rest over the break can be better than travelling

Semester breaks give uni students a decent amount of time to use as they please, so a lot of uni students will chose to travel, filling the planes all over the globe. Once in a while, however, it may be time for a good ol’ rest rather than a passport stamp and a hole in the wallet.

Brains need some down time. If you go hard throughout semester, travelling every break can tire you out. Sometimes you just need a break. It’s important to prioritise your body and brain every now and again, even if that means skipping the pizza in Italy or Pad Thai in Thailand. 

Taking it easy doesn’t mean you won’t get FOMO, but it does mean you’re not spending your time wisely and valuably.

Sometimes relaxation is just more important than exploration

I’m a keen traveller, don’t get me wrong, but when my head and my body need a break, they need a break.

Travelling is a great escape and a much needed one for many people, but it shouldn’t be disregarded that a lot of people need time to just chill, to relax, to reenergise and recharge.

Taking it slow prepares room to grow

Growing comes from living and breathing and being an active member in the world. Sometimes, however, recharging can allow the body and mind the space and energy to grow when the semester comes reeling back in.

A relaxed mind can expand more then exhausted one can. Taking a break over semester means that the brain is ready to go when life kicks back in.

I know that growing as a person for me meant that I could stay in touch with my body and know when it needed to travel and when it needed to chill.

Start the semester fresh and ready

I think we have all fallen victim to going too hard in the break and starting the semester feeling like you need a break. And tough cookies sugar, it’s a 12 week fun bag of tuts, lectures, assignments and exams.

For those who are privy to the bonus life gift of anxiety and stress, starting fresh and relaxed can make allllll the difference.  It can be a game changer in this thing we call life.

Once in a while we need to connect inwardly, not outwardly

Semesters are filled with academia and social demands and it can be a lot of noise for one head. Sometimes you need the time and space to tune back into your own.

Connecting to the world and connecting with yourself are equally important, and both deserve some time and attention. Sometimes, you may have to give up a ticket to Europe, soul searching in a bowl of pasta in Italy, for a week on the couching learning the curves and lines of your body.

Can’t ignore the obvious one, the money savings

Skipping the flights abroad mean skipping the holes it punches in your wallet.

A lot would argue the travel is worth the pennies and it’s a hymn I’ve sang loud and clear, but you can’t deny the nice feeling of having some dollars saved up in bank.

Starting the semester not in debt to your parents or begging your previous employer to take you back with double the amount of shifts you were barely handling last semester? It’s a clear advantage in the ‘taking a break’ column.

Marnie Vinall

Marnie is a Marketing and Media Communications student at Monash University. She loves reading, writing and her huge collection of plant friends.

Image: Giphy