For the busy college student, there isn’t a whole lot better than winter break. Spending some time at home with your family, enjoying the holiday festivities, all while enjoying a much-needed break from your studies is the best part of the winter. A lot of times, however, we get so relieved to finally have some time to relax once finals are over, that we don’t get a lot of the things we wanted to get done over break accomplished.
Far too often the little things tend to slip through the metaphoric cracks in all the excitement. Here are some ways to avoid this:
Make a List
Once finals are over, instead of getting right into relaxing (which, let’s be honest, generally ends up being “wasting time”); make a list of everything you want to accomplish over your break. Maybe you’ve been putting off doing a big chore (cleaning out your closet for holiday donations, Christmas shopping, etc.) or maybe it’s something smaller like finishing up a book you’ve been putting off because you’ve been distracted by academic reading. Relaxing is necessary, but be sure not to get so caught up in it that you’re not getting anything else done.
Set Aside Time to Not Think
While not wasting time is important, it is also important to completely relax to the point of not thinking. Take a winter walk, watch your favorite Christmas movie, read your favorite book, listen to Christmas music while you bake cookies. Make sure you make time to do something that allows your mind to shut off for a while.
Try to Avoid Sleeping Late
After those late-night study sessions and occasional all-nighters, it can be incredibly tempting to spend every morning of your winter break catching up on those missed Z’s by sleeping till noon. While the occasional morning spent in bed is alright (go ahead, treat yourself), doing this every day of a three-week break is an awful habit that will result in a lot of stuff not getting done. Plus, it will be even harder for you to get back in the swing of things next semester if you get used to waking up late.
Set Aside Time for Specific Family/Friends
Remember that sibling/cousin/longtime friend you have been talking about getting together with for coffee? It’s time to make the time to do that. Make another list of everyone you want to see and then set aside time for everyone. Once you’re older it’s harder to just have time for people, you must MAKE time and winter break is the perfect time to try to make that time.
Set Aside Time for Holiday Specific Activities
Make sure while you’re making your list to include the holiday specific things you may want to do (go look at Christmas lights, tree decorating, making cookies, church services, family dinners, buying and wrapping presents, holiday parties, etc.). These things all end up taking up a lot of time, so make sure your planning ahead and making time for everything.
