The holiday season is always thought of as being a joyful time of year. The most wonderful time of the year, if you will. But what most people forget about is that it is also one of the most stressful times of the year. Here are some ways that the last month of the year can be stressful, and how to destress yourself so that you can enjoy the magic of the holiday season as well as the beauty of the start of winter.
( 1 ) Finals Week
The one thing that every college student has on their mind right now is their upcoming finals. Nothing screams stress like having to review three and a half months’ worth of content for four or more classes, and then take your four most important exams all within the span of a week (and that’s if you’re lucky). Oh, and don’t forget about all those last-minute final projects. During this very stressful time it’s very important to rationalize and prioritize things. Don’t be afraid to take a look at a final grade calculator to see what grade you need to get on your finals to get your desired grade in your classes. In some cases, you don’t need to do perfect on all of your exams to end the semester with a good GPA. Give more attention to your more difficult classes and just do a brief review for classes you feel more confident in. Remember, you’ve been learning this material all semester, so you probably know more than you think you do. Make sure you get full nights rest and remember to eat during finals week, and don’t over study! It’s ok and necessary to take a break.
( 2 ) Holiday Gifts
Nothing is worse than having to get a present for someone when you have absolutely no idea what to get them. Especially if they are a good gift-giver. This can cause a lot of stress for people, even more so when you’re a college student and have little to no money. One thing to remember though, is that gifts don’t have to be things bought in a store. When it comes to gift-giving, it’s really the thought that matters. You can make a homemade coupon book for your parents, including “coupons” where you will do chores around the house or do favors for them. In my experience with my mom, she always appreciates things like that more than she does any materialistic present. If you’re stressing over giving presents to your friends, Pinterest is always a good place to start in my opinion. They have lots of ideas for cheap and easy presents to make, my favorites are always that ones that come in the cute mason jars!
( 3 ) Not celebrating perfectly
I know this one may seem a little odd, but it’s one that many people (including myself) experience when it comes to the holiday season. Everybody wants to have the full “holiday experience” and can end up feeling bad about themselves if they can’t find time for everything. When I say the holiday experience, I mean things like house decorating, getting a Christmas tree, decorating the tree, making cookies, decorating cookies, ice skating, making hot cocoa, etc. I think you get the idea. The thing is, nobody has the perfect holiday experience, even if they make it look like they do on social media. As long as you are enjoying what you are doing, and doing what you enjoy, you are having the ideal holiday experience!