Annual vacation is a great time to figure out what an individual is good at. One can spend their holidays reading good books as it would help build one’s personality, learning music or dance. And it’s not just about extracurricular activities, one can also join an abacus class to improve one’s mathematical ability or spend some quality time cooking as it has been proven to increase happiness. One can also spend time writing poems and articles. And last but not the least, and the most important, is to focus on physical health as ‘it is health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver’. And finally, spending time with our loved ones is like a cherry on the cake!
Gauri Sharma (16)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

Holidays are the best time to take a break from studies and pursue our hobbies, spend quality time with family, collect new information, improve our physical health, develop our skills, destress ourselves, become a volunteer, or take up a part-time job, keep ourselves fit, and plan for the next semester, analyse the previous year’s mistakes and overcome them with the best strategy for the next semester. This annual holiday, students can collect the best memories of their life. These are the best beneficial ways for any student to spend their annual vacation in their whole life.
Aparajita Mani (13)
Naval Children School, NSB Visakhapatnam

During the annual vacation, we don’t have the burden of school exams and studies on them, so we can utilise it for a good purpose. We can spend our days performing art forms like painting, dance, music, and even learn a language. Reading a novel or a good book also widens our knowledge and is a great way to spend our time. We can even study some books of further classes. If possible, we can also go to tourist places as it helps us to refresh ourselves and explore the various places in our country. Since our mother serves us from dawn to dusk, we can help her in household chores. These are the days which give us a wonderful opportunity to perform the work we are interested in.
Anwesha Ajay (12)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

After a tiring schedule of exams, we get annual holidays which is a session break for students. But sadly, most students think that annual holidays are meant for enjoyment and leisure time without actually knowing their benefits and advantages. Students could spend their annual vacation in many beneficial ways. They could prepare themselves for the next session with the help of previous question papers available online and they could also brush up their skills further more for perfection which has been in a dearth due to excessive study hours. They can also enhance their life survival skills by attending adventure camps which can help them to get out of their comfort zone.
Ananya Mohanty (14)
SAI International School, Bhubaneswarl

Annual breaks, for many students, mean relaxation, whether he is a pre-schooler, a middle schooler, a high schooler or a college student. Students can spend their time on hobbies and develop new skills. But for a high-schooler or an academically weak student or a college attendee, taking everything into consideration, it would be much better and beneficial if they spent their time studying. On the starting of the new session, it will prove helpful to them in understanding things thoroughly because their basic concepts and understanding will be strong. However, for the ones who will pursue their hobbies, they should work hard and excel in whatever they do.
Rudrani Singh (15)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

Who doesn’t love vacations? Everyone does, especially children. When annual vacations come, parents want their children to have a vacation that is beneficial for everyone. There are many ways for a beneficial vacation — visits to historical places, temples, or even just staying at home and learning new skills, or trying some new skills outdoors such as skydiving, etc. In this way, children will be able to learn and experience things which can be beneficial in their future.
Aastha (14)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

Vacations are the most incredible days in a student’s life. They allow us to explore new things and relax. Vacations at proper intervals are especially necessary for young people who are engaged in laborious works. They give our mind and body rest from everyday life. Holidays, spent right, will help us to go back to our work with zeal and vivacity. Here are some of the best ways we can spend our annual vacations:

1. Spend quality time with friends and family.
2. Learn new activities.
3. Pursue a hobby.
4. Take plenty of rest.
5. Read a good book.
6. Learn time management skills.
7. Work out.
8. Travel.
9. Try out different recipes and cuisine of different countries.10. And the most interesting thing you can do is to learn a new language.

Sneha Sharma (14)
St Mary’s Convent Inter College, Prayagraj

The annual vacation is a time for teenagers to get ready for the upcoming session, but most teenagers don’t know how to utilise their time in a beneficial way and end up wasting their precious time. To avoid this, the best way is to prepare a proper schedule. Students can pursue their hobbies such as drawing or reading books and give a couple of hours to study their school subjects. Studying is necessary during this period as children don’t bear their school’s burden and can easily acquire more information. Next, they should limit the use of mobiles and television as teenagers these days spend their time mostly on those. Further, they can add a period of regular exercising and socialising, so that they can be both physically and mentally fit.
Aadya Kumar (13)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

All the schools have an annual vacation after the end of the session, and students get a lot of time to enjoy these days. Students can develop some hobbies, try different activities, spend time with their family members, interact with new people and enhance their skills within this time period. They can use every day to improve themselves in different fields. They should not waste their time on electronic devices but should do some physical activities to improve their health.
Ariba Fatma (16)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

During our vacation, we can utilize our free time by doing that which we can’t do in our routine days. We can spend our leisure time accomplishing hobbies like classical music, dance, painting, creative writing, etc. We can lend our helping hands to our parents in their household chores which also help to improve our various skills. We can assist poor children in completing their home assignments or by tutoring those who can’t afford to go to tuition.
Harsargam Kaur (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar

The post Beneficial ways in which students can spend their vacation appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright, the famously-known Wright brothers, decided to try something different during their school vacations. After several attempts over the years, they finally succeeded in making the world’s first air-controlled and powered flight aircraft at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA, on 17 December 1903. It marked the era of aviation. Likewise, many artists, sports personalities and writers have begun their journeys to renown from doing something in their leisure or holiday time.

Your holidays could be a time to explore some creative things that you always wanted to try. You could use this time to explore some new places, to read some books you always wanted to read, try some new hobbies like painting, cooking, knitting, dancing,or learning some musical instruments and thereby discover and develop your hidden talents. Most of these hobbies can greatly increase your self-esteem and enthusiasm in life. Most successful entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Sundar Pichai recharge their lives by leveraging something they are already very passionate about. It increases the level of success and provides potential to improve their skills.

An excellent way to relax and regain your physical and mental energy is to initiate yourself into yoga and meditation during this vacation. Yoga is an exercise focused on your body’s natural resources for health and self-healing. It is designed to create strength, awareness and harmony within both the body and the mind.
Meditation is a process of training your mind to focus. It helps to reduce stress and to increase concentration. People who do meditation can often remember detailed tasks more accurately and it may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering and poor attention. Meditation can also lead to an improved self-image with a more general outlook increasing positive feelings, which then come out in our actions.

In the present issue of The Teenager Today, you will find the inspiring story of a young Mumbai boy, Prabhat Kohli, who started with a childhood hobby of swimming which eventually took him to the height of creating a world record on 3 March 2023 at the age of 23. This issue also narrates the exciting story of Vijay Luiz, swimming with orcas during his holidays. Other articles on the good habit of reading are meant to enrich your vacation in the coming weeks. Wish you a rejuvenating and exciting vacation!

The post Making your vacation creative appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Under the water

Love scuba diving? Then you’ll definitely love staying in an underwater hotel. What’s more, you wouldn’t even require any special equipment. Depending on which hotel it is, you’ll get a breathtaking view of the fauna and flora of the ocean like an underwater explorer minus the risk of spotting a stingray or a shark. A one-of-a-kind experience to dine on exotic seafood while watching them all around you.

Check out some more wacky places to holiday in by subscribing to the print magazine or the digital edition.

The post Stay in style! appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Planning a budget trip, but you’re not sure where or how to start? Try these destinations and basic guidelines when you’re planning your next budget vacation.

Your exams are finally over and you need that well-deserved break. Your love for travel is calling to you, but as a student, you probably have a tight budget! So, how do you manage having fun and saving at the same time?

National treasures

Our country has a lot to explore and if you enjoy backpacking and camping, you’re in for a ball. You can safely plan a five-day trip for as much (or little) as Rs 7,000 to Rs 35,000 depending on the mode of travel.

Starting with the North
Head to Manali, McLeodganj, Rishikesh and Ladakh for their adventure activities and pristine landscapes. “Serene Manali is the new trend for teenagers; day trips to the Rohtang Pass and Solang Valley are mind-boggling. For a bit of cultural learning, visit the Tibetan Monastery. Adventure junkies who’ve dreamed of paragliding, this is the place to give it a shot,” shares Karan Anand, Relationships Head at Cox & Kings. “McLeodganj offers exhilarating treks into the Himalayas and while you’re in Rishikesh, go whitewater rafting or plan a trip to the breathtaking Valley of Flowers. Rishikesh’s beach camps and treks also beckon the adventurer in many travellers,” says Daniel D’Souza, Head Sales, India and NRI Markets, Tour Operating, Kuoni India.

D’Souza also suggests “camping in Ladakh’s alpines or taking a ride on a bike adorned with traditional prayer flags. Don’t forget to dip your feet in Pangong, the largest lake of the Himalayas”. Neelu Singh, Director and CEO, Ezeego1, recommends trying adventure sports — trekking, river rafting, mountain climbing, cycling, camel and yak safaris, and a whole lot more, in Ladakh. She also proposes travelling to Sikkim, which has “delicious local food, exotic Himalayan wildlife, picture-postcard landscapes and some great mountain hikes”.

Home to the Thar Desert, massive forts and rich culture, Saadia Dhailey, co-founder of Caribou Drift, tells us, “You can do an eight-day Rajasthan trip in as little as Rs 12,000. The trick is to travel during off-season. There are several affordable hotel options in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer. While many may advise you to book hotels in advance, in Rajasthan, it’s best to do the opposite. Carry a list of the hotels on Wikitravel; visit, or call them when you reach the city/town, and ask for rooms at a better bargain. Another good way to save while you’re here is to use local transport”. From bumpy camel rides and camping in sand dunes to historical forts and palaces, Neelu adds that Jaisalmer is another perfect getaway for teenagers.

On to the middle
In the Konkan, Dhailey suggests travelling to the Sindhudurg region. Clean, picturesque, and affordable, there are plenty of homestay options that provide you basic, but clean twin-sharing rooms right on the beach, for as little as Rs 400. “The beaches also make a great place to pitch tents. You can buy one for as little as Rs 3,000, or hire one for less and camp under the stars. Get in touch with a local who manages homestays. They can help you with food and access to the washroom. They’ll also help you with the right spot to camp! You wouldn’t want the high tide to take you and your camp away at night!” she says.

Read the full article by subscribing to the print magazine or the digital edition.

The post Keep calm and travel on… on a budget! appeared first on The Teenager Today.