by student blogger Nicole Donaldson
Going home for Christmas after the first semester at university is really exciting - for lots of us, it means seeing friends from home for the first time in months, catching up with families, and, of course, four lovely long weeks of homecooked meals and not having to do our own laundry. But this isn’t always the case for everyone, and sometimes it can also feel a little overwhelming to go from the routine and independence of student life back to the slower pace of your home town. Over the festive period, it’s so important to make time for self-care, especially if your mental health isn’t quite where you’d like it to be - here are a handful top tips for keeping your spirits up and making sure you get the most out of your winter break!
Read, relax, and revitalise
Obviously keeping up with your studies is important, especially if you’ve got January exams or essay deadlines looming - creating a study schedule is a great way of managing your time and helping keep yourself in a routine. But the winter break is also a great opportunity to relax and revitalise after three months of hard work, and you should ensure that you’re taking time for yourself too.
Why not get back involved in old hobbies or take the time to discover new ones? You could indulge in a new fiction read whilst you’ve got a little more time available - celebrity and Instagram book clubs such as @bangingbookclub, @oursharedshelf and @purewowbookclub can be a great place to start, and it means you’ve got a whole community of people around the world reading alongside you. Or, failing that, maybe the Christmas holiday can be the perfect excuse to nap and Netflix to your heart’s content - either way, scheduling in some time to relax and catch up on sleep alongside your work is absolutely imperative, and will help keep you on track by the time you get back to Brum.
Get active!
After a Sunday lunch and a glass of fizz getting a workout in is probably the last thing on your mind, but keeping active over the Christmas break will really help keep your spirits up. Although it might seem a little bit more difficult without the sports centre on your doorstep and your favourite workout buddy just next door, there’s loads of fun and exciting things that you can do outside of the UoB campus.
Why not find your local park run (they operate all over the UK and are free to take part in) or maybe even take part in a Christmas themed fun-run for charity? And of course, this break is one the best time of year to head out into the country-side to enjoy a long hike through the fields - you’ll get some gorgeous wintery shots for your Instagram, and bonus points if you’ve got a dog to take with you too! The rush of endorphins is a guaranteed way to keep you smiling, and it’s a great excuse to indulge in an extra mince pie with your cup of tea too!
Give back!
Volunteering can be good for both the body, mind and soul, and there’s no time to get involved like the festive period - all around the UK, there are plenty of causes that want your help. Spending an afternoon round at your local care home can mean a lot to elderly people dealing with loneliness, whilst a day at a soup kitchen or helping in a food bank can help mean that no-one will have to go hungry at Christmas. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s something for you to get involved with, and you might find that giving back to your local community helps lift your winter blues too.
You might even discover some work that you’re really passionate about, and there are hundreds of student volunteering societies at the Guild of Students to help you take it forward in the new year!
Support one another
Christmas can sometimes be a lonely time of year, especially if you’re away from your family and home or university friends and the routine of student life. But it’s important to remember that no matter what your mates might be putting online, lots of them are probably feeling like this too, so it’s important to chat about these thoughts and feelings. Your friends and support systems are always there, even if they’re living across the country as opposed to just down the road, and listening to what they might be dealing with will help you work through your own feelings too. Make sure that you keep in contact and look after each other - facetime is there for a reason!
And why not use your time at home to catch up with old friends and family too? Even if you have lost touch whilst you’ve been away studying, there’s nothing like a festive hot chocolate and a cheesy Christmas film to help you reconnect once again.
If you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed in the festive period, know that it’s okay to reach out for support. The University of Birmingham is here to help, and there’s a whole World of Wellbeing out there to support you.