How Will You Spend Your Winter Break
You have been busy finishing up classes, studying nonstop for weeks with barely any spare time for yourself. Finals are over! All you want to do is relax…… what will you do? For students winter break should be welcomed time off but many find it to be stressful. Recently Washington University in St. Louis published an article by Neil Schoenherr in their campus newspaper that talks about college students and how to deal with stress during winter break. Winter break should be a time for you to relax, sleep in, play video games, visit with friends and family. So why do so many students find it stressful?
"Many students experience intense feelings during the winter break between semesters," says Thomas Brounk, Ph.D., associate director and chief of Mental Health Services at WUSTL’s Habif Health and Wellness Center.
Unfortunately, many students
find it hard to relax and enjoy their break. What are some of these
common stressors you ask? According to Brounk the following are
typical stressors for students.
• Lack of money to buy gifts
• Not feeling as "jolly" as the media tells and shows them they ought to feel
• Experiencing the holidays differently as they grow older
• Having to deal with "family dynamics" when they return home
• Overindulgence in food and alcohol
• Feeling rushed to get everything done (shopping, studying for finals, baking, etc.)
• Feelings about friends and family not present during celebrations
• Fear of not celebrating winter break the way they would like to
Now
that you know some of the stressors, here are a few of the tips Brounk
gives to avoid feeling stressed. You can find the full list of tips by
clicking on the link above.
Know what fills you
What kind of contact will be fulfilling for you? If you
know clearly what you want, it is easier to choose activities that are
likely to satisfy you.Ask for what you want
Don’t hint. Don’t wait for someone to read your mind. Don’t expect others to guess what will satisfy you. Speak up.
Set Priorities
List all the things you want to accomplish before/during the
holidays. Cross out unnecessary activities. Do unpleasant tasks as
quickly and painlessly as possible, and then reward yourself!Make positive contact with others
At a party, make sure you have a good conversation with several
people. If parties aren’t your thing, make contact in some other
situation (at church? at the Laundromat? with a classmate? on the bus?
with a neglected friend or neighbor?).
What
are some of the things that you are going to do this winter break to
not feel stressed? Hopefully some of these tips and ideas will help you
have a more enjoyable break. Write us an tell us your Winter
Break/Holiday plans, we would love to hear from you!
Lauren
