Small changes that make a big impact
The longest holiday of the year has been going on for almost a month already and if you are a university student you probably have six weeks left to go. You are thoroughly relaxed and loving it, but are also aware this could be time you could be using more productively. If you have already read and done all the things on our productive holiday list, then here are a few simpler and more relaxing things you can do over the rest of the holiday that will benefit your life, while still keeping you firmly in that holiday zone.
Upgrade your cooking skills
Maybe you are heading off to university for the first time? Or perhaps you spent last year eating nothing but two-minute noodles and too afraid to try some actual cooking? Either way, this is the ideal time of year to dive in and upgrade your cooking skills. Learning to cook properly will improve your life immeasurably as you eat better, stay healthier and don’t have to buy expensive restaurant food just cause you want to eat something delicious.
There are hundreds of great recipes and free cooking videos online that you can watch and practice. Start by finding the recipes for a few things you really like to eat, practice making them and concentrate on what makes those dishes delicious. Your parents and grandparents are also a wealth of cooking skills. Even the uncle who looks like he only knows how to burn a pot, will have one or two sneaky tips that can improve the food you are making. As an added bonus, you get great bonding time as well.
Tour your local area
The strange thing about living somewhere all your life is that you never get to experience it the same way a tourist does. Taking some time to go to the local attractions and appreciating them as a newcomer might, will give you added appreciation for where you come from and some good stories to tell your new friends when you travel to Pretoria. Try the local foods, go to the local museums and try to bring a little of your life, history and culture with you when you go to university.
Read classic novels
This is not something many people think of when they leave school or are taking a break from studies, but choosing to read some truly great literature can change the way you think and it’s nowhere near as boring as the things you studied at school would suggest. Start with the Booker prize winners and look for those people from your home town or region who are considered masters. Is there a new author from your country who is blowing up the literary world? Try them, or try read a book by someone who lives an entirely different life to yours. Reading these novels will keep your mind sharp, while giving you alternative perspectives on life and how to live it.
Take up a sport
If you don’t do sport, then now is the time to start. Perhaps you run and this is feeling a bit boring? Doing exercise is a vital component to a healthy life and finding something you actually love doing will help you to stay healthy, not only now, but for the rest of your life. Experiment with everything you can. Go to local sports clubs and ask if they have newcomer deals or training sessions you can jump in on for a few days just to try things out. You will be surprised how helpful people can be, and maybe you discover a lifelong passion?
Get First Aid training
Want to be a hero? We mean, a real hero? There is no surer way to becoming a genuine real-life hero than learning First Aid. CPR, Life guarding and basic first aid, save lives and on the day an emergency happens you will never regret going on a course for these things. You only need to a set aside a few days at most and a simple google search will point out people in your area willing to teach you. The best part is, it’s often free.
These seemingly small things will all make a big difference when you do start studying next year. Perhaps the thing that will make the biggest impact on your life, however, is where you live. Situated in the heart of Hatfield, Pretoria, The Fields is the perfect place to stay for those coming to Pretoria to study. Check out these deals. Close to public transport and all the amenities, it offers clean, comfortable accommodation with all the things a student could need, like always on WiFi and an in-house laundry. If you haven’t applied, then what are you waiting for?
