Summer is finally here! For students, that doesn’t just mean blistering heat and the return of the ice cream truck, but it also means a chance to take a step back from the rigorous academics of the school year. As someone who’s taking a crushingly heavy course load next year, I sympathize with the urge to cease all studying and take full advantage of summer break.
But here’s the thing – that mentality is the basis of summer learning loss. Within the last week of school, I’d heard no less than five declarations that went along the lines of “I can’t wait to forget everything I learned this year!”
And while it may have been said jokingly, the sad reality is that many students will lose three-months-worth of learning over the summer. As a result, when students return to classes after the break, teachers are forced to tread old ground and review old material to compensate for the summer learning loss.
This idea of overindulging in something and compensating later is not unique to students. Compensatory behaviors can be found in almost anyone’s life. Whether it’s overspending during breaks and needing to save more later, oversleeping on weekends and needing to drink coffee in response, or overindulging in leisure and needing to cram or work extra hours on the backend.
Combatting compensatory behaviors is an ever-ongoing battle for students and adults alike. But know that consistency is the soul of progress. As tempting as it may be to splurge at the moment, the potential for later misery and the cycle it creates can be physically and mentally damaging.
So, this summer, let’s embrace the opportunity to keep learning, growing and enjoying the season without the looming shadow of compensatory catch-up.