Preparing For Winter Break
Congratulations, you made it halfway through your academic year!
By this time, you are probably ready for a break from the 10-page papers, the late night studying and the large amount of note taking. It’s time to take a break and head home for winter break. Here are a few things to remember as you head home.
1 - Seeing your family will be great, but it's normal to need a break from them
This is an exciting time, you get to spend time with your family, sleep in your own bed, enjoy home cooked meals, sleep in, and avoid writing papers. Even though there are many benefits of being back home and being surrounded by family, after months of living on your own, being back can be hard. Suddenly, you are bombarded with a million questions from your parents, they will start asking about your whereabouts, your future and how college is going. This may be difficult for you to tolerate as you haven’t had this happen in months. If you feel conflict with your parents, try to remember they are not used to your college lifestyle. Remember to calmly speak with your parents and ask them if it’s okay if you make plans. Remember to share your plans with them so they feel more relaxed about your social life. Also remember, winter break is a break. So, take time to relax and be with your family because you will miss them when you go back to college.
2 - Seeing your old friends may feel strange
Reuniting with high school friends over winter break is always exciting. Of course, we have technology and social media to help us stay connected but there’s nothing as exciting as being back in person together and catching up while you’re all home. There is history with old friends, common experiences, and inside jokes. It’s hard to imagine that things could be awkward with your home friends but just as you’ve changed from your college experiences, so have they. This is okay. Things won’t necessarily be the same, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be great. Over time you may not connect as much anymore. Keep in mind, the changes you go through in college can also make your friendship grow deeper in the future.
3 - It’s okay to get bored during winter break
Chances are you have been looking forward to doing absolutely nothing during winter break. You are finally rewarding yourself for all your hard work. It's finally time to sit back, wear sweatpants, eat delicious food and watch Netflix. This may surprise you but after a while of nothing, you will be searching for your schedule and routine back. The best way to handle this is to find a healthy balance of both doing nothing and doing something. Find time to set goals during winter break. It’s okay to sleep in but by a certain time put on some real clothes and make some plans. Enjoy the opportunity to catch up on sleep and relax but also make sure to be productive during this break.
Lexi Schwartz MSW LSW
