Sometimes college students have free time in between classes. For many students, they use this time to relax and hangout with friends. However, there are other activities that can keep your mind active and help others. Dixie Somers gives us five other ways to spend time between classes.

Guest Blog by Dixie Somers

For some students, it may be challenging juggling classes and finding cohesive, beneficial ways to spend their downtime. While spending time on social media or even just taking a nap may have their own health and psychological benefits, there are other activities that can keep your mind active and help others.

Go for a Quick Jog

Find a safe place to go jogging, be it around your block or at a local park. While it isn’t always easy to get to a gym or find time to exercise, it is recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Physical activity releases adrenaline, helping lower tension and anxiety. Endorphins are also released, lifting your spirits and keeping your mind and body healthy.

Pick Up a Book

From time to time, you may find yourself overwhelmed and in need of relaxation. Reading for entertainment will provide you with a quick and easy gateway into another world. Reading fiction may also enhance empathy, benefiting your life inside and outside the classroom. Plunging into the struggles and triumphs of a character, though fictional, engages your emotions and sensitivities. If an author does their job right, you begin to feel alongside the characters. Their successes and failures become yours. Regular reading habits will help your empathy towards others grow.

Donate Blood

If you are eligible, stop by a local blood drive or American Red Cross Center and donate. By doing so, not only are you helping save a life, you are benefiting yours as well. Serving others and being altruistic improves your psychological well-being by strengthening your perceived bonds with society. In addition, donating blood has shown to preserve cardiovascular health as well. Keep your mind and body healthy and save someone else’s life as well.

Learn More about Your Heritage

It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to begin searching your family history. Using sites such as ancestry.com and genealogy.com help jump-start your search with their online records. Genealogy is a fun and addictive hobby. All you need is a computer and access to the internet.

Crack Open a Puzzle

From Sudoku to crossword puzzles, there are endless options of quick, mentally challenging activities available in print and online. Find one that suits your interests and start playing between classes. Staying mentally active helps form new nerve cells and strengthens neurological connections. Keeping your mind active and alert through puzzles is fun, and it will benefit your studies.

Whether you’re an undergraduate or earning a master’s degree in nursing online, there are a plethora of ways to stay busy and manage your time wisely. These quick and easy suggestions are also beneficial to your health. When choosing what to do with your free time, be sure to find something that will keep your mind or body active.

Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.