Maintaining your well-being over break

For some of us, returning home for breaks can be a monumental ask. It may be a financial impossibility or unrealistic for other reasons and we must make our way on-campus for the break. For others, returning home may mean a return to rules that we no longer follow on-campus and oversight we don’t desire. Still others find the transition home to be relatively easy and one they welcome. Consider some tips about maintaining your well-being over the long semester break, no matter where you spend it.

You may need to create a schedule or structure to your break. A whole month off. It probably sounds like a dream! The stress of the semester is over and you can ignore the nagging thoughts about homework, studying and pressure for an entire month. But you may find that having no purpose or direction during that time has unwanted outcomes. Consider keeping to some kind of a schedule to keep your momentum and healthy habits in practice. This may include working or volunteering but it may simply be a daily schedule in which you maintain a sleep routine, exercise and social connection.

It’s a transition for your family or loved ones too. Your people may not be used to having you around and they may not be ready for the changes you have grown into while being on-campus. They have established new patterns and ways of living that may not include you, just as you have. Work to be patient and communicate to attend to what you need and adapt to returning to home.

Consider negotiation on rules and expectations. You have developed your own set of rules and expectations for yourself at college. These likely differ significantly from those you can expect at home. It may be worth sitting down with your loved ones to discuss expectations when you return home and you may need to propose changes to past rules and expectations to honor the growth you have experienced while away.

Plan to prepare for the coming semester over break. Do yourself a favor and look over the syllabi, if you can, for your classes and begin to set up your semester schedule or routine. By preparing ahead of time, you can start on the first day with an intentional approach about how you will spend your time and be able to identify where you might have flexibility to do the things you enjoy doing.

Make time for yourself. There are often many social gatherings over the semester break and this may mean that you have little time on your own. You will likely need some time to unwind and relax over the break after the intensity of the semester and you may need to assert this need with those around you. Especially if you are an introvert or are sharing space on-campus with another student. Be creative in how you seize this opportunity: drive separately, take walks, ice skate or ski, sit by the fire, read a book. Take advantage of having space apart from semester life on-campus so you can restart rejuvenated and rested.

You won’t get everything your way. You will be rejoining a system that has developed patterns and ways of functioning while you are away. Hopefully, it will be flexible to accommodate your return but you must also be flexible. Recognize that you will likely slide back into old habits and familiar practices while home. Do what you can to recognize those that are unworkable and give yourself patience as you return to old ways of living.