By Annie Hermann

Of the Gleaner

After three months of a seemingly total lack of brain activity, coming back to school can be a challenge. According to Oxford Learning, an equivalent to one entire month of learning is lost after summer vacation. And as much as you may love to just hang out at the beach and be carefree all summer, trying to keep up with studies can be a big help.

Here are a few ways to keep that brain working, even on break.

Read, read, read: Reading is a great way to relax as well as keep your brain focused and working. It also helps improve vocabulary, analytical thinking and writing skills. And don’t just read those old childhood books that are meant for 5th graders, challenge yourself with some classic literature like 1984 or Pride and Prejudice, or try some nonfiction.

Learn to code: Coding helps practice math and computational skills in fun and unique ways like making your own computer games and websites. Plus, if you enjoy it, computer coding is one of the most in-demand jobs out there. Go to codecademy.com or kahnacademy.org to try out coding for free.

Watch documentaries: No matter what, we’ll all probably end up watching a lot of Netflix this summer, so why not learn from it. Documentaries help you understand true events from all over the world and throughout time. Netflix has an endless collection of varying topics, from the horrors of war in the Eastern Congo in Virunga to the formation of the environmentalist group Greenpeace highlighted in How to Change the World. If you’re a sports fan, ESPN’s 30 for 30’s tell the stories of sports legends (and a lot of them are on Netflix, too).

Study a language: Learning a second language stimulates the brain and opens up new job opportunities. There are thousands of languages to choose from, and a variety of ways to learn them. Apps like Duolingo have languages from French to Vietnamese for free. And if you’re really dedicated to learning a new language, you can order a Rosetta Stone.

So try to keep up on your studies while you relax over summer break. It could really make a difference.