Winter is supposed to be a time of festivities, fun, and relaxation. The weather gets colder, the lights get brighter, and holiday cheer is in the air. However, holiday schedules are often packed full of finals, travel, and family, which can contribute to an overwhelming wintertime stress.
Many students feel that finals are the main stressors of the holiday season, as the studying and anticipation add to the stress of the actual tests. Fiona Hogan, a sophomore at the School, states that “[Finals are] always on my mind. I can’t not think about them because there’s guilt in not studying. Even once you’ve taken them, there’s stress after them about grades.” Hogan isn’t alone in her experience; according to a poll of 51 students, 78.4% also marked finals as the biggest holiday-time stressor.
In addition to finals, the holidays themselves often bring a unique set of pressures. According to Sophia Schiefer, a sophomore at the School, “Gift giving and making sure your friends and family get meaningful gifts is a big responsibility. Christmas and planning things for the holidays [on top of finals] causes extra stress.” Some students agree with Schiefer, with gift-giving as the second biggest holiday stressor according to poll votes.
With college on their minds, upperclassmen have even more pressure to do well in school. Eloise Gatdula, an 11th grader, says that the CCO advises juniors to focus on school more than the college process at this point, and with the increasing difficulty of junior year academics, finals become more and more important.
Low energy is especially common during the winter, since the cold weather and reduced sunlight can lead many students to feel gloomy or tired, making the busyness of wintertime festivities more overwhelming and less manageable. A loss of sleep or rest, as well as a feeling of burnout, can also contribute to the overwhelming nature of the holidays. This makes the winter months feel like the “hump” to get over before the final stretch of the school year. As one student said, “I feel so burnt out by all of the work that we’re given. I barely get enough sleep to function, which then affects my performance in class.”
Whether it is gift giving, family, travel, or finals, the holiday season is definitely a busy, eventful time of the year. Although many students feel overwhelmed with their winter schedules, practicing self-care and finding time to rest should not be forgotten during this busy time. After all, the real heart of the holidays lies in happiness, cheer, and community.