Coming back to school after Thanksgiving break is hard when all you want to do is start celebrating all the festive upcoming holidays. I, for one, know how gross it feels when you want to be excited about gift shopping and hot chocolate, but have multiple papers and exams to worry about. Fear not though because the holiday spirit does NOT have to die just because you’re ~imprisoned~ in the library. Take a look at these suggestions during your study breaks and remember that things are still very much ~merry and bright~ this time of year.
1. Movies, movies, movies
Aside from the classic reruns on Freeform, Hallmark and Lifetime, Netflix always comes in clutch with those festive movies. Watching movies can be a good thing to do at the end of a rough exam day or in between those study hours. All I’m saying is, you can still stream stuff in the library without anyone knowing you’re watching Buddy the Elf list the elf food groups.
2. Browsing for gifts
I’ve been very productive during my study breaks. While I was meant to be finishing up a final research paper, I managed to figure out what I want to get for my boyfriend AND get sidetracked looking for gifts for my mom! Don’t worry though, it all turned out fine, it’s just nice to be productive in a different way than planned sometimes.
3. Treat yourself to that peppermint mocha, extra whip- you deserve it.
If you’re going to down 3 cups of coffee in 2 hours, you might as well make it a little festive. Seasonal drinks are always, for some reason, extra delicious and warming. Plus, coffee in whichever form is loaded with benefits to keep you going in all the right ways.
Related: 12 Signs You’re Ready For Christmas
4. Holiday music
Okay, maybe Mariah Carey’s absolute Christmas BOP is not what you want to be hearing when you’re 20 pages deep into a psych reading. But hear me out- holiday radios and playlists are available on all streaming apps, and can sometimes really brighten your mood. It just reminds you that there’s a lot to look forward to once you get through finals.
5. Keep a checklist
If Santa keeps a list to keep people in line, you should be able to make one to keep your priorities straight. Honestly though, when it comes down to finals week prep, I ALWAYS make one list of everything I have to do in the remaining weeks of the semester. Then, I just take on the list day-by-day, prepping for exams, finishing papers, going to office hours.. It goes on. At the end of the day, a simple checklist makes the remaining tasks seem less tedious AND you get the satisfaction of checking something off your list!
Happy holidays, collegiettes!