For many students, the holidays are both a time of great joy and immense stress.
Beyond having to reckon with the closing of the semester, many students are forced to navigate the complexities that entail at the start of the holiday season. These include last-minute shopping for gifts, planning get-togethers and having to reacquaint themselves with distant relatives, to name a few.
These elements of the holiday season can often compound quickly, overwhelming students who may find themselves juggling too many responsibilities at the same time.
Like many issues in life, students can eliminate or at least mitigate the mental stress that the holiday season entails. One simple method that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recommends is being unafraid to say “no.”
It can be tempting for many students to placate and appease as many people in their lives as possible, even at the expense of their mental health. However, the APA recommends prioritizing activities that bring the most joy, and saying “no” to situations that would cause undue stress, such as attending a party with unpleasant people.
Setting boundaries with family members is, likewise, a helpful endeavor towards bolstering personal mental health. Many may be familiar with the family feuds that emerge during the holiday season, often motivated by past transgressions or differences in political outlooks.
The APA recommends leaving these situations, noting that “there is no shame in removing yourself from the situation.”
Likewise, it’s important to make efforts to minimize the amount of triggers that could induce stress ahead of time.
Academically, this could mean planning out studying sessions before finals week, getting caught up with homework and working on papers incrementally as opposed to cramming right before a due date.
The stress of holiday shopping or party planning can be mitigated by making some changes to how these would normally be conducted.
The APA suggests hosting a Secret Santa instead of buying a gift for each individual; this will offset any finance-related burdens and stress associated with holiday shopping as there is only the obligation to buy a gift for one or two people as opposed to an entire group.
If the stress of making party plans is overwhelming, consider simplifying matters. Evaluate whether so many decorations are necessary; depending on who you invite, some or even no decorations might suffice.
Likewise, when it comes to feeding partygoers, consider the amount of work can be taken on. Consider minimizing the amount of needed ingredients to avoid becoming overwhelmed. If the recipe can be done with less, that may be worth considering. This can also be an excellent opportunity to search for simpler recipes online.
However, if cooking may prove too much to handle, there is no shame in simply buying pre-made foods.
It’s important to note that maintaining a positive mental health is not simply a one-off thing that is done for the holidays, but a constant process that is undergone for self-improvement.
The APA recommends staying in therapy for those who regularly go to a practice, even if scheduling conflicts may arise during the holiday season.
The university has a Center for Health and Wellness with three full-time psychotherapists available to students seeking mental health resources and counseling.
Students who are interested in mental health counseling can contact the university’s Center for Health and Wellness at 614-236-6114 to schedule an appointment.
