Ever thought about what you’re going to do after university?
Ever thought where you want to be 10 years from now?
Are you even thinking right now?
Many students find themselves at a loss of what to do after graduation. For the most part, we will (hopefully) find a worthwhile job that keeps us both mentally and physically busy. For others, graduation is the next step to further education. Or you may be of the other category, where your new job is neither physically nor mentally stimulating.
There are many misconceptions floating around about what constitutes “brain activity” and being mentally active means. It’s true that reading, writing, and exercise stabilize and improve brain activity, but they aren’t the only ways.
Here are some rather unusual ways that will keep your mind active after you graduate:
Play video games.
Playing video games improves cognitive abilities that can help fight Alzheimer’s. Who would have known that Link (the elven defender of Hyrule) fights both Ganon and memory loss? Cognitive abilities are the brain applications that help you learn and obtain the ability to remember and do problem solving. Video games promote puzzles, or give an obstacle that must be overcome, which helps exercise your mathematical skills and problem-solving. Surprise surprise! Mother was wrong to kick you off your NES!
Keep social.
Constant socialization allows your brain to better remember people and names, which then spill over into your adult years, when those memories start slipping away. It’s always a good idea to also meet new people in order to give your brain something new to remember, which is another form of mental exercise. Finally, a practical use for Facebook!
Laugh.
Laughing helps release endorphins in your body, which promotes a healthy immune system. The more you laugh, the better your chances of staying healthy. Laughing also goes hand in hand with keeping social—just like the famous term “breaking the ice” refers to how a corny joke helps introduce new people. Now it’s time to LOL for good health!
Use your non-dominant hand.
As cheeky and perverted as it sounds, it’s actually quite true. Right-handed people favour the left side of their brain, and left-handed people favour the right side of their brain. Through the practice of exercises for being ambidextrous (the equal use of both hands), you properly exercise both sides of the brain, which leads to improvements in other areas, such as memory.
Sing.
Singing helps you de-stress and to dump out everything that might otherwise be bottled up inside. Much like writing, singing will also help you memory skills as lyrics and melodies must be memorized before knowing a song throughout.
Whatever you decide to do after you graduate, make sure to keep the five exercises in mind in order to live a mentally healthy lifestyle. If all else fails, you’ll have a lot of fun doing it, and if that fails to entice you, there are many other inventive ways to train your brain.
