Thanksgiving Break can be a magical time for those collegiate who are simply overwhelmed with finals, papers, work, and end of the semester assignments. You are welcomed lovingly into the arms of many (and sometimes too many) family members, all who make sure to feed you pounds upon pounds of delicious, homemade food, as your pants somehow mysteriously shrink. You finally get to see your puppy or cat you haven’t seen in months, who always greets you with plenty of tail-wags and hard-earned licks on the face. Your own, snug bed entices you as you spend hours in it catching up on the sleep you have been desperately deprived of over the past semester. You see old friends, new friends, stop by your favorite hometown restaurants; all in all, you get the relaxation and bliss that any hard-working student deserves.
Yet, unfortunately, this short-lived paradise all too quickly expires. After a few very brief days, you are abruptly thrown back into the world of Bucknell, cold weather and all. (GASP)
It’s no surprise that this transition is not easy, and getting back into the swing of the semester may seem almost impossible. All of our classes are winding down, and we are unquestionably prepared to spend the winter break hibernating in our homes watching hours of Netflix, celebrating holidays, and, most importantly, baking great cookies. How are we possibly supposed to stay at school for another few weeks when all we can think about are the fabulous few days we have just spent at home?
For those homebodies like me, I know that leaving home to enter a world of stress, homework, and final exams can seem like torture. Luckily, I’ve come up of a list of things you can do to beat the post-thanksgiving break blues and ace your classes with confidence, leaving the semester feeling great and accomplished.
- Spend time some quality time with friends.One of the things that I don’t like about my hometown is that it has none of my Bucknell friends. Keep this in my mind as we enter the final few weeks of the semester, remembering that you most likely will not be seeing some of the people you’ve been with 24/7 for a whole month! Taking study breaks by watching a fun movie, going to dinner downtown, or even just relaxing and hanging out are great ways to take your mind off of the stress and spend time with close friends before parting your ways for a few weeks.
- Bring back a home cooked meal.Let’s be honest; most of our day’s activities revolve around food. A meal could make or break my mood for an entire day depending on its satisfaction in my eager stomach. One of the things I crave the most when I am super stressed over studying for a test is a home-cooked meal, such as chicken parmigiana and pasta. When you’re home for Thanksgiving, have a family member cook you a meal and pack it up for school. Keep it in a fridge and heat it up in an oven a few days later and it will be just like your sitting around your dining room table at home!
- Treat yourself with a gift on Black Friday.I myself am not a Black Friday shopper, but I know we have all heard of the amazing deals people get. I agree fully to treating yourself to a well-deserved gift every once and while. Go out on Black Friday and buy a new top, a new book, or virtually anything that will make you happy. Then, when you’re feeling down at Bucknell a few days later, you can take it out and make yourself feel a little bit better. And I definitely won’t judge you if you wrap it all nice and pretend like it’s a surprise when you open it a few days later. (Omg, a cute shirt? I had no idea!)
- Go out and exercise.This one is definitely a little more obvious, but can sometimes be overlooked. Exercising is a great stress-reliever, makes us feel better, and actually helps us sleep better at night. This will also help to lose those unwanted few pounds that were gained over break (but hey, no regrets).
At the end of the day, don’t stress too much. Instead of dreading coming back on campus into a world of anxiety after Thanksgiving Break, be thankful (pun intended) for those few days of rest and good food you got out of it. Finish the semester with a bang spent with hard work and good laughs with friends and then go home to unwind and relax all you need during winter break!
Sources:http://www.pinterest.com/pin/540432024005345639/http://www.pinterest.com/pin/130534089172322041/