Winter break has arrived, and many folks on campus feel lighter with fewer responsibilities. It feels good to wrap up the loose ends of the semester – final projects and exams, saying goodbye to friends, packing up your things, preparing for travel and holidays.
Even with that lightening of our loads, anytime the rhythm of our day shifts, it can feel difficult. Here are some strategies to help you stay healthy and well as you shift from all-out academic mode to your winter break.
- Manage your free time: At the beginning, the extra time can feel like a gift! But the adjustment to free time can be a struggle after a while or, for some, right away.
- Start by taking time to relax.
- Consider making a plan or list of things you would like to do over break.
- Schedule some of your time with things that make you feel good!
- Prep for family & friends: Plan ahead for family and friend encounters.
- What questions or conflicts typically arise?
- How do you want to respond?
- Make a list of coping skills that work for you.
- Focus on you:
- This break can provide you time to focus on how you’re feeling, what you might need, and how to make a plan moving forward.
- Support your holiday well-being with strategies from Student Wellness.
- Take care of your mental health: Many people experience a worsening of mental health symptoms around this time of year. If this happens to you, you aren’t alone!
- Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common, and treatable. And recovery is possible.
- For an initial assessment to seek treatment visit the CAPS website or explore the wide range of mental health resources on the Heels Care Network website.
- UNC offers an array of online mental health screening tools about anxiety, depression, substances, well-being, and more.