Maintain Your Wellbeing During Summer Break

This summer can be a great time to prioritize your own wellbeing. Here are tips, resources, and support services available to help!

Take quick 10-15 minute breaks throughout your day. These breaks should be a time where you are not focused on a specific task, but allowing your mind to relax. This allows your brain to recharge and refocus. Try reading a book, listening to some music, or just sitting outside and taking in some fresh air. You can also play a game like online Jigsaw Puzzles or draw with this online Sketchpad. 

Looking for live music, free performances, or festivals to unwind? Check out all the free events happening in Cambridge this summer. The Council for the Arts at MIT (CAMIT) also provides free admission for MIT students to three major Boston area art museums, as well as discounted student tickets to performances.

Give yourself a break and take advantage of all the beautiful weather. Events at MIT Open Space Programming are happening all this summer.

Unwind this summer with Community Wellness’ virtual Mindfulness Mini-Courses. These mini-courses incorporate skills from the Koru Mindfulness toolkit, including meditation practices, breathing techniques, stretches, and stress relief to calm mind and body. Go to the Community Wellness class site and sign up for one of the courses.

Making sure you have access to food resources this summer is a priority for MIT. We encourage you to explore these resources for more convenient and affordable food options!

Staying active is an important part of your overall wellbeing. The Z Center is open this summer, Monday to Friday from 6 am to 9 pm and on weekends from 9 am to 6 pm. You can also take advantage of any of MIT’s facilities to play, swim, and run. Just check out the open recreation schedules for hours of availability.

Being active is important, but make sure you’re taking care of your body as well. Try MIT Medical’s Acupuncture Service to treat: musculoskeletal pain, migraine-type headaches, menstrual conditions, allergies, certain mental health conditions, and overall your health. Provided onsite, this service is for individuals and their family members who are enrolled in the MIT Student Health Insurance Plan (MIT SHIP).

Summer is a great time to prioritize and reset your sleep hygiene. Learn expert information about caffeine, snoring, GPA, and more in the award-winning Sleep 101 online course (with MIT Touchstone login). You can view topics separately or complete the full program—which includes videos, interactive activities, and games—in about 45 minutes.

There are tons of free events happening daily that you can enjoy over the summer. Visit The Boston Calendar for more details on farmers markets, outdoor performances, and other fun events nearby. 

Looking to entertain the children? For Graduate students with Families, attend some of ArtBoston’s free children’s performances around the city.

Need a great spot to relax, play, and connect outdoors? MIT Open Space Programming offers inclusive and eclectic programs, such as concerts, performances, and festivals, all created in collaboration with neighbors in the Cambridge, Kendall Square, and MIT communities. Located next to the Kendall/MIT T stop and Building E38, there is plenty of seating, sunshine, beautiful public art, and all the programs are free.  

Summer RAs (SRA) in the dorms regularly host programs to keep the community connected and engaged. Ask your SRA when the next study break is! If you’re not sure who your SRA is, contact Area Director Jacob Oppenheimer for Random Hall or Area Director Charlie McBurney for MacGregor House. 

Want a great way to practice a language you are learning in a friendly environment and to meet new people from all over MIT and the world. The Language Conversation Exchange platforms (website, Slack space) and events (conversation cafes, special events, small groups) are available this summer to help participants connect with other language learners in the MIT community who want to exchange language or practice a language together.

Looking for a dedicated network for the significant others of MIT students, postdocs, staff and faculty who have relocated to the Boston area this summer? Then check out MIT Spouses & Partners Connect (MS&PC). MS&PC organizes activities that help spouses meet people, discover work and career development opportunities, improve English, share experiences and passions, and get information about living, working, and parenting in Boston.

Visit the Wellbeing Calendar for more events happening this summer at MIT or the Relationships Pillar page for more resources to help to connect.

Summer is a great time to pause and reflect on things that you’re grateful for. Practicing gratitude has many proven benefits for your physical and emotional wellbeing. Plus, reflecting on your day and finding appreciation for even the smallest thing is a great way to end your day. Here are some tools to help you practice gratitude:

Set yourself up this summer for a successful fall with these free 30-minute performance coaching workshop recordings from Community Wellness. Learn to maximize your performance, maintain motivation and focus, and improve sleep quality.

Whatever the structure of your summer, there are opportunities to enhance your skills. We hope that you get to have a rejuvenating summer, whether you’re preparing for a UROP, interning, volunteering, or taking a well deserved break. Whatever your summer plans, consider these five simple but helpful tips from Career Advising & Professional Development.

Are you a graduate student looking to learn how to not shy away from prickly conversations with your manager? Do you wish you could advocate better for yourself at work? Join CAPD, Radius, and Addir on July 18, 2023 for a guided workshop with free lunch on challenging conversations in the workplace where you’ll  learn about boundary setting, practice role playing, and end with reflection and discussion. You can RSVP for the workshop now.

Visit DoingWell for more tools, like free apps, to clarify your sense of purpose.

For other tips to prioritize your wellbeing visit doingwell.mit.edu.

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