The 2013-2014 school year was a busy one. Next up is summer. In order to recover from the busy school year, here are five tips for a more relaxing, fun summer, starting with the pursuit of hobbies and interests.

“Do something you love to get your mind [off of school],” sophomore Miriam Laeky said. “I am going to swim a lot because I love swimming.”

For some, that means spending summer leisurely.

“Have a lot of down time that doesn’t involve anything related to school. [Go] to the lake, go swimming, go to the mall [or do some other] kind of mindless activity,” World History teacher Tracie McClure said.

Some of those hobbies and interests include spending time with friends and family.

“[I want to] hang out with my friends and try not to think about school,” junior Anna Kraus said.

Some plan to celebrate the summer with family and friends.

“In order to get my mind off of school, I focus on my interests and spend time with my family,” sophomore Shahreen Malik. “It’s just that I spend so many months at school that I spend these three months as an award [for making it through the year].”

One way to spend time with family and friends is to take a vacation, whether that means right in your backyard here in Allen, or far away in a land you call you call home.

“I will go to that place where I can meet my relatives and enjoy [time] with them,” sophomore Zonoor Malik said.

There are many places to travel, from the redwood forests to the country valleys in the United States, to places the world over.

“[I plan to go] to the beach,” sophomore Deanna Baxter said.

While some plan to get their minds off of school, for some, that is not the case.

“My mind [has] never been on school,” sophomore Justin Stewart said.

One of the top ways to recover from school is to get some beauty rest.

“I plan on catching up on sleep that [has] been missed by studying for tests,” sophomore Ben

Brothers said. “[I also plan on] relaxing and not stressing out.”

“[I plan to] sleep alot, go outside, [and] not use alot of brainpower,” Junior Lara Reyes said.

“[I want to] sleep a lot [this summer],” Laeky said.

“Sleeping,” sophomore Elizabeth Norton said.

The key to a stress free summer and a quick recovery from school is to hang out with those one loves, to spend time with family and friends, to relax, and to sleep!