Student Blog: Take a Break

The holiday season is here! If you celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! If not, Happy Holidays to you! I don’t know about anyone else, but my favorite time of the year is the holiday season because that means food, family, and, as a student, a break from school. Being able to turn your laptop off and only answer emails once a day is one of the most relieving things I have experienced as a student. Schooling gets overwhelming, and it is hard to find a way to stop dwelling on finals and assignments heading your way once Thanksgiving is over. I know my biggest struggle is balancing my family time with completing assignments and rehearsing for upcoming performances. It takes a massive toll on my mental health, and instead of feeling prepared to tackle the final weeks of college, I feel more exhausted than ever. I have discovered, though, that there is a way to drown out the anxiousness surrounding finals season, and I hope this method works for you as it works for me!

While it is okay to use part of your break to catch up on work and complete assignments that would not otherwise get done, it is just as important to use the break for what it is worth - rest and quality time with loved ones. The challenge I suggest for the holidays, especially if you are a higher education student, is to turn the devices off. Phones, laptops, tablets, whatever it may be. If it has social media or email linked to it, turn them off and put them away. I have noticed that around the holidays, many people post about either studying for finals or showing off the things they accomplished over break. The onslaught of information can be quite overwhelming and may make you feel like you need to be productive. Turning off your phone and engaging in a hobby with a loved one, whether it be your siblings, grandparents, partner, friends, family, or furbaby, or even by yourself, will help rejuvenate you and relax the part of your brain that is screaming at you to be productive. Engaging in these hobbies will help you feel productive while also not stressing over work that cannot be handled until the break is over. My favorite hobby to do with my sibling is either shopping or girl talk in my bedroom.

Another thing I like to do is try to complete as much work as possible before break, without jeopardizing my health and sleep. Using the week before Thanksgiving break to grind out as many assignments as possible makes me feel less stressed once the holiday season begins. I personally live in a house with all my friends, so I really enjoy sitting in the living room with my headphones and a drink while my friends either talk amongst each other or complete assignments with me. It makes me feel as if we are all in this together, and we are! The more work I can accomplish before break, the more time I have to spend with my family. Using that as my motivation is what keeps me going, so I suggest finding a personal motivation that helps you as well! Not to mention, I always promise myself a little treat afterwards.

Now, I know some schools assign homework and exams over break, which sucks, so avoiding work sounds inevitable. When instances like this arise, my solution is to schedule time with family and work. I have friends who like to plan one or two days to get everything done, so they can use the remainder of the break with their family, which is awesome! I personally struggle with that method of working because I get easily drained. I like to divide my work over break by scheduling blocks of work and using the remainder of the day for myself and my loved ones. An example of this was the day after Thanksgiving. I spent the entire morning resting, then spent the afternoon working on my portfolio (and completing it!!), and then spent the rest of the night with my partner. This blocking method truly helped me and made me feel less sluggish returning from break.

At the end of the day, it is vital to take care of your present self and your future self, so knowing when to divide your day among the various demands on your plate is a blessing. Find time to disconnect, find solace in your loved ones or self, and take responsibilities one chunk at a time. Caring for ourselves should be prioritized more, and you should not shame yourself for taking time to confirm you and your loved ones are okay. Power through the rest of this finals season and celebrate the little wins with treats and adventures!

P.S. The little gal at the top of the blog is my kitty Tinkerbell! We call her Tink Tink. Enjoy her presence as a gift for making it in life. <3