The holiday season is approaching, and with that comes the end of a perhaps grueling first semester of the 2024-25 academic year. For some, it will be a relief not to get up at 8 AM for classes and to get a reprieve from the Wismer food. However, for some, the holidays may be difficult due to various situations, whether concerning family matters or loneliness.
All this is to say: Ursinus students, take care of yourselves.
Some of you may have had difficult semesters and have forced yourselves to put one foot forward at a time. To those to whom this applies, your resilience is commendable, and you should take pride in yourself. With that being said, you must find a bit of time for yourself. I don’t particularly care what it is; it could be lying on the floor, just looking up at the ceiling (for those who haven’t done this before, try it). It could be time for a hobby, lazing around, or anything else that would put your body at rest. I am aware this advice is a bit basic and certainly repetitive, but the point remains true.
One aspect of mental health that I believe isn’t talked about enough is students’ physical health throughout the holidays. Taking care of one’s physical health will likely improve one’s mental health as well, so catching up on some sleep after late studying nights could be highly beneficial. Additionally, even staying warm and bundling up during the cold weather, which some find to be a bit gloomy, could be a relaxing endeavor.
For some suggestions for holiday-themed activities, you have your classic gingerbread houses and baking. One activity I found can be engaging and entertaining is making rankings for holiday traditions and mainstays. For example, I made a Christmas song tier list ranking last year, and it sparked some lively social interactions. There are plenty of activities you could do by yourself and with others this season to just get a break from schoolwork.
As always, the Wellness Center and The Hive on campus can provide support and far more useful tips than I can include here. If you are facing holiday anxiety or want tips to switch gears from a school-focused mindset to a more relaxed state for a bit, they can help!
As the semester ends, I wanted to extend my thanks on behalf of the Grizzly team for reading and interacting with us this semester. We appreciate all of you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from myself and the rest of the Grizzly Team!