Fighting Stress After Breaks

Coming back from our recent Thanksgiving break felt a bit overwhelming. A busy, overstimulating, and memorable few days can throw you off a little when you return to school. After all, the mind is buzzing, still adjusting from the few days off. With our upcoming winter break, this sort of stress will be even more prominent, as winter break is longer, with even more time away from school. 

There are many reasons that might cause this, like overstimulating events over the break, a change in routine, and holiday tasks once school is back in session. “I think the biggest concerns are for the students that are maybe already behind, ” says Megan Kohl, one of the high school counselors at ORCA. “And I think also the mental shift students can have, like ‘Oh, school isn’t in session, I don’t need to be doing anything,’ that part can be dangerous if you’re already behind.”

One of the major ways to combat stress is reestablishing a consistent routine. Plan a simple routine, and ease back into it. Often, the few days after break are calm, with sort of a soft start. That is an ample opportunity to ease back into a consistent and beneficial routine. Oftentimes over breaks, students will develop bad habits, like staying up late or not keeping themselves busy, so coming back to school is one of the best times to fix these habits, especially since it’ll help make school feel easier. 

It can be even more beneficial if students are able to keep a schedule over the break. “Just setting up a structure for something to do each day, that is not open ended, is a great way for your mind and your body to stay on that system,” Kohl notes. After that, “it’s not such a harsh transition." 

This can also benefit students that are behind in assignments, as breaks can offer a low pressure time to complete late work (since new work is not being assigned). This can be accomplished through schedules, setting timers, or making sure something is completed before you move on. If you’re not behind, Ms. Kohl suggests other structures. You could set up a time to read a book, build in a walk each day, or work on a personal project, as something to have a schedule and routine with. 

Sometimes these stresses do not manifest until school is already back into motion. This often causes students to procrastinate. Even if it feels good momentarily, that isn’t going to help at all. Trying not to open Canvas, your classes, or your schoolwork isn't going to make it disappear. It is best to face these responsibilities, even if all of it together can seem overwhelming. Doing things little by little can make it easier to deal with. Humans are habitual creatures; we are used to habits and easily fall into them. Breaking bad habits will feel stressful at first, since you are fighting the chemicals in your brain that were once there for survival, but in the end, you are establishing new habits that will help you in the future.

Some of the best ways to help calm your mind are simply spending some time on yourself. Over the break, it is common to be bombarded by family members, bright lights, noisy rooms, and other overstimulating environments. Perhaps it was a break from school, but the brain was still working a lot. It's important to always have some time for yourself at the end of the day. Real time for yourself that isn’t just scrolling endlessly on your phone, or laying in bed. Spend some time doing a hobby, like drawing, colouring, reading, writing, baking; something hands-on or creative. These things will help you reconnect with yourself, and rest your brain. 

Of course taking breaks away from school can be greatly beneficial, especially if it is to spend more time spending time with family or celebrating certain holidays. “We all need that time to rest and relax and rejuvenate,” says Ms. Kohl, “But it’s also a good time to continue to stay on top of it.” It's important to remember that going back to school doesn't need to be stressful. Taking care of yourself, and implementing healthy school habits at your pace will improve your outlook about coming back after the holidays. Facing things that cause stress sooner will help in the long run.