Tis the season! This holiday-filled month is very fun and exciting with the growing anticipation of winter break and many celebrations. But it’s not all fun. With the good, there is some bad that seems to follow. We have to worry about finals, buying presents, financial issues, struggling with friends or family, the weight of grades, seasonal depression and more.
- Finals
Seven class periods means many big tests that force your stress levels to skyrocket. However, there are so many things that you can do to help with this. First, you can start your review early! Thinking that you have more time than you have is a reoccurring issue for students, and often a major factor in the increasing stress during finals season. Talk to your teachers about what topics are going to be on your final and begin going over them sooner rather than later. This will be much more beneficial than cramming the night before. You can also try out different methods to figure out the best way for you to get your studying done. Different ways to study can simply be researched on google or even TikTok. Some different methods include:
- Spend 25 minutes studying, 5 minute break, repeat as needed.
- Make flash cards
- Rewrite your notes to refresh your brain.
- And more can be found here: https://www.usa.edu/blog/study-techniques/
- Buying presents
Because of all the holidays in this month, you might feel the pressure of buying presents. What do I get my mom? Friends? Siblings? It can be very helpful to focus more on the thought than the price. Think about an experience or inside joke that can be made into a gift. Not only will this mean much more to them, but it can also help you save some money. You can also check out the article entitle “Holiday Hustle”, written and video made by Ellie Hindes, for more ideas about what to get people this holiday season.
- Financial
This leads me to financial issues. It can be very overwhelming to buy a present for everyone in your life. As teenagers, not all of us have jobs, and not the finances to be spending tons of money during December. Another alternative to save money is considering homemade gifts. There are many ways to make presents instead of buying. Depending on the gift itself, you may need to purchase supplies, but it would be much less expensive than just buying the gift. Ideas for what to make can be found on Google, TikTok, Pinterest, and many other places. Follow this link for more ideas! You could also suggest a gift exchange. Instead of buying each of your friends a gift individually, suggest a Secret Santa or something of the sorts. This way, you only buy one gift, and everyone still gets a gift.
- Friends and family
For the majority of the semester, we’re at school five days a week and get social interaction through that. However, when December rolls around, our home life becomes our everyday norm. This can be very difficult for so many people. Many may not have a great home life and dread being there. If this is the case for you, know that you still have options. You can go for walks/drives, make plans with your friends, and find other ways to get out of the house. Creating time for yourself can help with productivity, motivation, and staying uplifted during this time. You may also have struggles with who you spend your time with. This can include divorced families, blended families, and even friends. Know that it may be impossible to make everyone around you happy all the time, and especially during this difficult season, your priority should be putting yourself first. 
- Dealing with grades
Early on in the semester you may have set academic goals for yourself, and by December you’re faced with the result. It may have happened that the semester got away from you, and you were able to accomplish what you initially intended. Instead of taking this hard and putting yourself down for it, you can use it as a learning experience for what you need to change next semester. Know that the year is not over yet, and it’s not too late to improve!
- More time at home
No school means more time at home, which can mean many things for different people. Many struggle with different things while having to be home way more often. It can lead to people feeling fear of missing out (FOMO). You may see friends posting together and feel bad that you weren’t invited or wish you and your friends were doing something similar. More time at home also may not mean more time to get things done, but to feel unmotivated. This feeling can be very overwhelming and detrimental. But there are ways to combat this feeling. You can do different things to keep yourself busy like small tasks throughout the day.
FaceTime
Not everyone can be physically together for the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see everyone. If you have a sibling, friend, or family member who may not be in town for the holidays, you can use FaceTime or any other similar platforms to still make sure they are a part of your holiday and stay connected overall.
- Seasonal Depression
The holidays can be a very difficult time for everyone. It gets dark early on in the night, it’s easy to feel lonely, the cold can be tough, and much more. The most important thing is don’t ignore your feelings. It may feel easier to push how you feel to the side and act as if everything is fine, however it is just not good for you. During the school year, many resources are offered to students for help such as your counselors, but there are still tons of ways to get help outside of school. Safe To Tell is still an option to report yourself, a friend, or a family member you feel worried about. If you just feel like you need someone to talk to, there is online therapy offered in many ways, one of which being BetterHelp. If in-person therapy isn’t your thing, and you would prefer to talk to someone not face to face, this could be a great option to get the same treatment, on your own terms. You can also call 211 (211 Colorado) which will help you get connected with helpful resources to aid in all sorts of problems you or someone you know may be struggling with. Lastly, 988 (http://988lifeline.org) is a number that you can text or call to get help if you are struggling this holiday season.
Most importantly, make the most of the season. Enjoy what you can and do your best to avoid the distress December may bring.Good luck on your finals and have a great break Chargers, you deserve it!
