Holiday break is nigh, and I know all of you reading this are jumping with joy that today marked our final day of finals and the first day of break! As we ring in the holiday season and the new year, it’s easy to get lazy and cuddle up by the fireplace, day in and day out. While that might sound nice, especially after finals week, it’s also easy to fall back into the slump of seasonal depression.
As someone who always feels unmotivated and all around “bleh” after a week or so of being on break, I always approach breaks with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I love hanging out with family and friends and taking a much-needed reprieve from schoolwork. It allows me to recharge, catch up with old friends and do some extracurricular activities for which I normally don’t have the time. But, even though I make plans, most of my break looks like the following: I wake up later and later, every day, and feel as if my day has already finished before I’ve even gotten out of bed; I eventually get mad at myself for being unproductive, and I look forward to more productive days, once the semester starts.
This holiday season, I invite all of you who struggle with your mental health during breaks to seek coziness, rather than complacency. Having some time to yourself and being lazy is totally fine on break, so go for it! But when you are feeling more potato than human, try and be productive. Don’t become complacent in your laziness, as I have done time and time again, during break. Rather, make goals for yourself. They can be social, such as hanging out with friends at least five times; work-related, such as signing up for shifts so you feel productive; and/or introspective, such as writing in a journal and getting in touch with your emotions. Whatever the case may be, make this break your best time yet. Rest, relax and recharge, but don’t let your living room couch and TV get the best of you!
Here’s to your best holiday break so far, whatever that looks like for you! Have a wonderful time away from UNC; Her Campus Chapel Hill looks forward to seeing you again in 2020!