December?
What are you doing here? You’re totally early. Wait, what… this is the same time you show up every year? We haven’t even bought any gifts yet!
Welcome to December everybody! (Whether you’re ready for it or not, it seems it has arrived.) With it comes shorter daylight hours, puzzling thoughts of what to get loved ones this season and plans on how to celebrate, as well as for some of us college students a whole lot of finals we didn’t ask for nor need in our lives.
This whole semester we have talked about (and hopefully put into practice) being more than our work and setting boundaries with our workload so that we can provide ourselves with the basic needs we require to get through a day. Oh, you know, like water, rest and a whole lot of holiday decorating! What else is there to say? Holly jollyness should basically be in our blood stream at this point.
It’s no secret that we create our own environments; I see you over there vision boards and salt lamps. If you feel like your environment is getting consumed with studying for finals or prepping for that eight page paper due soon, (don’t remind us okay, we are in a fragile place) then maybe it’s time to make a change. An easy way to change up this bogged down environment is to embrace this season! (it really does only come around once a year). No matter what holiday you celebrate every winter season, adding decorations can set an entire mood of holiday cheer. No doubt this will help you to be in more uplifted spirits and finish those assignments and last minute projects you have going on before the holidays.
Now taking applications for holiday cheermeister, a coveted position that we are so excited to help you prep for. All you have to do is take a trip down to your nearest Target or Walmart (pro tip even try the dollar store- you never know what hidden gems you’ll find that will have you saying “aweee” out loud in the middle of the aisle). Whatever store you frequent is sure to have a wide array of holiday decorations for all types of celebration AND all types of aesthetics. (Just accept it already- you do have a holiday aesthetic, everyone does)
Pack your cart full, don’t pay any attention to the final total, and then hope you dont spill too much fake snow in the back of your car on the way home. Putting up decorations can be a lot of work, especially when you’re trying to make the most out of your environment, so put on some festive music or a holiday movie to make the process a little more bearable (if you do in fact think the wide assortment of hallmark movies is the more bearable route). However you get there doesn’t matter, what does is the end result! We live for the moment where you can take a good look around at your space and realize you created that- it’s yours!
It may feel impossible to take time away from your desk piled with work, but if you fit a little bit of holiday decorating into that tightly packed schedule it will be so worth it and may even make it a little easier to finish those last minute tasks before any holiday festivities. Once your environment reflects a little holiday joy, it is the hope that you can also instill that within yourself. You got this, like any feel good holiday movie would say “just believe.” Whether that be in Santa or being productive, you can finish work and reach for all of those holiday baked goods.