Dear Students,
We hope your final exams are going well and that you finish the Winter Quarter strong! I came across a blog post (link at the end of the article below) and wanted to share it with you, as some of the suggestions may be beneficial to you. We wish you a wonderful break from school next week, with a balance of adventure, working, relaxing, and reconnecting with friends and family.
Best,
Katie, Liz, Kia, Johanna, and Denise
5 Ways to a Self-Care Spring Break
MARCH 10, 2017
For one week every Spring semester, hundreds of thousands of students take on adventures during their spring break, exploring a different place in the short period of time they have before school kicks into high gear. While many students will be jetting off to Disney World or volunteering in South America during spring break, many others will be taking a much needed staycation at home (including me!), and that’s totally okay.
Even though they may not be out traveling and having a massive adventure, I personally feel that a week of pampering and self-care can be just as rewarding, as it can be used to recharge and prepare for the rest of the semester. It’s easy to lose track of yourself with a full course load and extracurriculars to boot, and you definitely deserve some “me” time to make all of your stress worth it.
Here are a few things you can do in order to make your staycation of a spring break rewarding, rejuvenating, and still tons of fun!
1. Reconnect with friends and family
During school, I feel that sometimes my relationships with the people most important to me become neglected due to the work; I often find myself trading in a night of FaceTiming with my sister for a night of studying for Organic Chemistry. It sucks, but spring break is the perfect time to rekindle those relationships and catch up on life’s happenings. Set up a coffee date with some of your best friends, or suggest a family dinner out – I promise you it will be worth it, and you’ll feel so much better going back to school knowing that your relationships are stronger than ever.
2. Pamper yourself!
Who doesn’t love a nice spa day? Time alone at home is prime for pampering yourself, whether it be through putting on a face mask, going shopping, painting your nails, doing your makeup for fun, or taking a nice bubble bath. It’s so important to show yourself a little bit of love, as us college students often forget that the constant level of stress we put ourselves under isn’t very healthy. After a long first half of the semester, you deserve it girl, and what better time to reward yourself than now?
3. Play “catch-up” with the things you love
Between meetings, classes, and exams, there is rarely any time during the semester to devote to activities and tasks that aren’t directly school-related. Weeks seem to fly by so quickly that I often forget what day it is! Although a week might not seem like a lot of time when you’re at school, it is just the right amount to pick up where you left off on an old hobby or run a few quick errands. Want to catch up on a TV show? Block off your Monday and make that your binge day. Need to finish up applications for that internship you really want? There’s no better time than your spring break!
4. Sleep in, and don’t feel guilty!
If you’re anything like me, I always feel absolutely awful if I wake up past 9:30am – it makes me feel like the day is basically over! However, a week of no classes or obligations is the most perfect setting for catching up on sleep, especially if you’ve messed up your sleep schedule due to cramming for midterms (not me…ha…well maybe a little bit…). Don’t set your alarm, and wake up when your body tells you to – trust me, you’ll feel so much better in the morning, and you’ll be recharged and ready to go accomplish whatever you want during the day.
5. Try something you’ve always wanted to try
Whether it’s a new restaurant that’s opened up in your town or a skill like playing the guitar, now you have a little bit of time to devote to something new. For example, I’m going to make it a point to visit a coffee shop in my area that I’ve been dying to try over break, simply because I’ve never been there before and this is my only real chance. Take a little leap of faith and try something new – you’ll never know what you might find!
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Many people sometimes forget this, but spring break should be just that – a break. A break from classes, a break from homework, and a break from all of the monotony and stress that comes with it. Hopefully you’ll be able to try some of these tips and practice a little self-care this spring break – I think we all need it!