Tips For Handling The Holiday Season
Finals are upon us. Which can leave us as students with much stress, and we have to prepare for exams but also the upcoming Holiday season. With everything that has gone on in the world, many people can say that 2020 was the worst year. This year our mental health has been tested by the pandemic and trying to get ready for the holiday season adds a new form of tension. Isolating alone during the holiday season can be challenging, in itself you might be faced with the possibility of being alone during Christmas. The pandemic has taken away some aspects of our freedom, but it brings a different perspective to the way we look at Christmas.
Being alone is very difficult, and it can take a toll on how we view our life. The holiday season is going to be challenging for us, because we may face it alone and that can be scary if we are in a new city. It is essential to know that our mental health is critical during this time, and learning how to take care of our mental health while facing a holiday can be challenging. Every day we’re faced with new challenges, and those challenges can impact how we live our lives. As students, our mentality is to focus on the exam. We may push ourselves to work harder and forget to take the proper time to heal. It’s OK to work hard, but it’s also OK to take a break and take the right amount of time To find yourself.
Tips to handling the Holiday Season:
Accepting the Imperfection of the Holiday Season
Reality of the holidays doesn’t always match what we have pictured it be. The way we picture the holiday season might not always go toward our plan. We have to learn to accept the imperfections that come with the Holiday Season. Everything we have experienced this year has been challenging, and realizing that imperfection is apart the season, but it doesn’t defy who we are, and how we chose to face the season ahead.
Talking to a friend
Set up a zoom call if possible, have a glass of wine or hot chocolate with friends and enjoy quality time together. It will help with the feelings of being alone during the holiday season. Talking to a friend during the season allows us to feel less stressed. When face timing it allows for us to reach family who might not be living in the same city, allowing for us to feel connected during these difficult times.
Watching movies
Sometimes it’s just right to watch those Christmas movies or cheesy movies, it to bring up your mood and you’re able to laugh at the ridiculousness of these movies. The holiday season was made for cheesy movies, and it is acceptable to binge tv shows and movies, while enjoying yourself.
Setting up Resolutions
If you’re setting up resolutions for the new year, keep them light and breezy. You don’t need to put too much stress on yourself to finish them. Instead of making a heavy list that you might not even complete, take the time to choose what will make you happy. The resolutions you make are only for you never about someone else.
Going Out
If you do plan on going out for the holiday season, make sure you stay safe. Wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and wash your hands. It is good to follow the guidelines of how many people can be at a gathering. It is better to be safe than sorry, with the news of the vaccines coming it is still a good idea to keep safe for yourself and your family.
Sometimes we might think that we are fine when we are not. It is OK for us not to be OK that can be hard to accept even when you are faced with a difficult situation. This holiday season is a tough time, especially if we are spending it alone. It is good to know that we aren’t alone in any of these situations. People are a call away, sometimes we just got to learn how to reach out, and that can be scary, but during these time it is good to check up on those you care about, making sure that they can reach out to you during the holiday season and you can reach out to them. There are services that the school offers to help if you need to talk to anyone.
Services:
Counselling Services: Psychological support to students. To access online support please use the website link below to book an appointment or use the chat function to speak to a member of the Peer Support Team.To access support in person, visit the Student Success Centre and speak to Wendy to book an appointment or visit the Peer Support Team during their office hours. |Website: https://concordia.ab.ca/student-services/student-life-learning/support-services/counselling-services/
Upcoming Events:
Share your Favorite Holiday Lights: It is time to share your holiday lights. The Peer Wellness team is collecting videos of the holiday lights to slhenry@student.concordia.ab.ca by Dec 20th. The video has to be less than 30 second, please include your name and city, no address need, in the email.
By Deborah Olawale
