With students on break and summer in full swing, we decided to check in with some of SVA’s department chairs for their tips on how to make the most of the extra leisure time to recharge creatively. Here’s what 11 of them had to say:

Marshall Arisman, chair, MFA Illustration as Visual Essay: “Document the stories that surround your art. They can become the basis for your next project.”

Maro Chermayeff, chair, MFA Social Documentary Film: “I always tell students in summer to watch movies, read books, news, magazines, blogs—keep up with what is happening in the world around you and in your field of interest—in our case, Documentary aka The real world. Also, grab a camera and shoot things that catch your attention, do interviews with people, take to the streets—just keep your filmmaking chops going.

Allan Chochinov, chair, MFA Products of Design: “There are lots of ways to refresh your creativity over the summer, but two come immediately to mind: Read, and take up a new hobby. For reading motivation, start here: The Simple Truth Behind Reading 200 Books a Year. For hobbies, try a #100dayproject, and get inspired by one here.”