The other day I was in the bathroom eavesdropping: “Did you know the library has coloring sheets?” one girl exclaimed to another.

Although the conversation wasn’t directed towards me, I responded in my head thinking, ‘No, but what a great idea.’

Their conversation continued and the girl went on to explain that she was coloring during her free period and I couldn’t help but think how enjoyable that must have been.

Funnily enough, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of people coloring outside of class. In fact, I’ve recently noticed a shift in the way people are spending their free periods.

I was in the library when I noticed a group of friends doing a puzzle and playing chess. Because I’m curious and nosy, I asked them if this was their free period and, to my bewilderment, it was.

I was initially surprised because I’ve only known people to sit (or sulk) in the library finishing last night’s homework or studying for a test. It never occurred to me that it’s acceptable to simply relax opposite your science lab or during lunch.

As an avid procrastinator and occasional opportunist, I usually spend spare time catching up on homework, getting ahead on homework, or studying for an upcoming test (and by ‘upcoming’ I mean 40 minutes away). If I’m not doing any of the above, I’m watching YouTube videos or mindlessly scrolling through Twitter. The notion of spending your free period doing things that free your mind of school work, originally seemed like a waste of time. However, I now think that stretching your brain during the day is equally important. It’s like when you exercise: stretching may seem unnecessary, but it prevents injury.

When it comes to your brain, it’s constantly working and therefore needs a moment to play and take a break. Regardless of what your day entails, boosting your mind with a jolt of creativity is key to keeping your brain enhanced and engaged throughout the day.

In one of my favorite web series, “If Our Bodies Could Talk,” James Hamblin, Senior editor at The Atlantic, explores different trends relating to health and lifestyle. In an older episode, Hamblin interviewed writer Patricia Marx who’s written for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Rugrats.”

In the segment, she explains how she’s tried every brain enhancing activity out there and noticed a significant improvement in her cognitive ability. In the end, the two writers practiced some of the exercises, and I was surprised at how each of them responded. For example, Marx drew a picture that looked like a square with randomly sized circles next to it. She asked Hamblin what it was, and after he got it wrong, she exclaimed, “It’s a make your own Swiss cheese kit.” Genius.

In school, we’re solving problems all day long, some that use logic, and others that don’t. When we’re faced with a problem, it feels natural to solve it from point A to point B, yet the whole point of a problem is to take us out of our comfort zones, forcing us to zig and zag and use the creative juices lingering in our brains.

I’m not suggesting you invest as much research as Marx did, but I am suggesting you invest a little time into giving your brain a break in order to tap into those imaginative resources. Go outside, read a book (one that’s not school related), do a puzzle, or grab a coloring sheet from the library. By exercising your mind, you’re ultimately setting yourself up for success in the long run.