As an IB student, it can be difficult to set time aside for CAS with all the homework and studying required for your courses. But did you know that you can do CAS during your study breaks? This is a great way to get away from your homework and have some fun, while still being productive. The purpose of CAS is not to put another responsibility onto your plate, but instead to create a more well-rounded and balanced student. CAS enables students to have an opportunity for meaningful experiences outside of the academic sphere. With that said, here are some useful tips on how to incorporate CAS experiences into your study breaks.
1. Do What You Enjoy
If CAS is going to be a break from your course work, the activity needs to be enjoyable. It should not feel like a chore or extra work but instead, an opportunity to do something you are passionate about. This makes CAS way more exciting and engaging! Personally, I have found that the more enjoyable the activity, the more excited I am to do it during my study break. I enjoy woodworking, so during some of my study breaks, I would create a new design, continue working on a project, or research ideas for new products.
2. Make it a Reward
If you have a reward at the end of your study session, it will encourage you to get your work done in a timely manner and work with greater focus. The CAS activity then turns into positive reinforcement for all the hard work that you put into studying. Then, CAS becomes the motivation to get your work done and not procrastinate. CAS has been an important tool for me to complete my homework for the courses I struggle with committing time towards.
3. Find Short Activities
You don’t have to spend hours on a CAS experience for it to count. You could take fifteen minutes to fold an origami crane or do a ten-minute workout that you find on YouTube. As long as it involves creativity, activity or service, it counts! You won’t feel guilty about giving yourself a break from your studying when you know that the activity won’t take long. Additionally, it contributes to your IB diploma and develops the traits that the IB learner profile highlights. The amount of time spent on a CAS experience is not accounted for when completing CAS, but it is the self-reflections based on these experiences that count. What really matters is that you are able to self-reflect on these experiences and articulate it in the documentation of CAS.
CAS Activity Ideas
Ideas for Creativity
- Bake something
- Draw
- Go on a walk and take photos of nature
- Play a musical instrument
- Creative writing
- Create a logic or sudoku puzzle
- Play board games
Ideas for Activity
- Do a dance workout from YouTube with your favorite music
- Go biking
- Practice yoga or stretching
- Play table tennis
- Skateboard/longboard around the neighborhood
Ideas for Service
- Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk
- Create cards for residents of nursing homes
- Offer to cut neighbors lawns
- Advocate through a post on social media
- Walk a neighbor’s dog
- Make a campaign poster
- Write letters to frontline workers
CAS is what you make of it, so lend yourself a hand and make it enjoyable. To become a balanced student, it is crucial that you make the most of your time while also giving yourself the necessary breaks to stay happy and healthy. If you have any other suggestions of CAS experiences that one could do on a study break, put them in the comments below! We love hearing from you and learning from your own experiences. You could be helping the next IB student who is struggling with coming up with ideas for CAS!
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