Winter break is finally here, and I personally couldn’t be more excited. Especially as an introvert, I can get too excited to spend time at home with less responsibilities. Instead of looking back at my break with regret, I want to proactively plan how to balance personal relaxation, family time, hanging out with friends in town, and picking up hours at my part time job. It’s overwhelming to feel like you need to please everyone, so creating a game plan will minimize your guilt!
I interviewed fourth-year Communications major and fellow Pawprint staff member, Kailya Cole, to gain some advice about making the best out of your time off. She runs an Instagram account called thrifty_saints where she shares budget-friendly activities for Maryville students-give it a follow! To start off, I asked her if she has any favorite budget friendly self-care activities she prefers. “Treat yourself with some budget-friendly skincare, I recommend the brand The Ordinary! They have great products for different needs, and at a great price range. I also love any type of product-advent calendars or holiday bundles are perfect. Also, press on nails from Walgreens or CVS are $7 and they last pretty long.”
Taking care of yourself should always be a priority, especially during the break. Seeing family is something that I try not to take for granted either. “When my grandpa died, I realized I was working a lot and wasn’t with my family as much as I should’ve been. It’s important to take a step back, take time off your phone, and be present with your family. I always like to take pictures, even if I don’t want to, so I can cherish the memories and look back on them.”
I love the picture taking advice, but I know that sometimes extended amounts of time with family can cause some stress, so making boundaries beforehand is beneficial! “Be open with your family about wanting personal breaks and accommodating your mental needs because it will help create a healthy boundary and maintain good mental health.” If you have periods of free time, try to stay off your phone do something you don’t always get to do. “Instead of eating or scrolling on my phone mindlessly, I make sure to have something to do with my hands like crocheting and making friendship bracelets is fun for me, or you could draw, put a lego set together, or just listen to music.”
Although it can be easy to turn your brain off during your time off, intentionally making plans, whether it’s with yourself or your family, so you can look back on your break and be proud of what you did with your time. Even if it’s one single thing you wanted to accomplish, it’s worth doing!
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