Balancing Holidays and Finals

Kristin - December 24, 2009

The holidays are filled with hustle and bustle, especially for college students. Around the holiday season is when finals are. Not only do students have to worry about finals, but they have to worry about how they are getting home, shopping for presents and how they will manage their time once they are home.

Some students are so eager to get home that they book their tickets to leave the day of their last final. Although it gets you home quicker, it could send your stress level way up. The night before a final, you want your mind set on what you have to study, not about what you have to pack and if you forgot anything. Nor do you want to feel rushed or unprepared. Instead of adding the extra stress, make sure you leave plenty of time for yourself between your last final and when you go home. This will give your mind time to focus its energy on studying and less about what shirt will go with your boots.

I wrote last week about how to survive finals week; I hope those tips helped. My finals week wasn’t as rough as I predicted. I focused on studying and also gave myself time to spend with my friends and did something fun. It’s not always going to be like that, though. Sometimes life likes to throw extra curveballs at us when we are the most stressed, like during finals week. When a crisis happens as you’re supposed to be studying for your tests, it’s hard to keep your head on straight. If you can, assess the situation, see if you can find a solution or if it needs your immediate attention and act accordingly. If it is something unavoidable and serious, just make sure you email your professors and fill them in; they’ll understand.

It can also be hard to go shopping for your family and friends for holiday presents with no extra time. You don’t necessarily need to do much shopping. Most of us surf the web for numerous hours during the day, even when we shouldn’t be. However, if you shop online, it might actually save you time if you’re a good multi-tasker. If you don’t have the money, (as many college students don’t) you can always use your creativity to come up with something to make your friends and family. These things can be as simple as putting your favorite photo in a frame or making a spiffy card to making a scrapbook or something else.

Usually the time you have before Christmas comes is limited. Many of you might be very religious and go to church with your families or practice something else. Sometimes, with everything else going on, I find it hard to believe it’s almost Christmas. Although the commercials and merchandise in stores and the lights on houses remind us it is the season, sometimes it’s hard to feel it. Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, not because of presents or because of the actual day, but because of who I am with. My family being together and healthy is why I like it the most.

Not to mention, I live 30 minutes from Manhattan and the infamous Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Two weeks ago, before finals, my “college family” and I went to go see the tree. It was amazing. I’ve seen it every year since I’ve been in school, but each time it still gives me the same feeling of hope; the hope that this feeling could last forever.

Happy Holidays!

-DeAnna