How to survive the winter holidays

The cooler weather can put you in a bit of a slump, especially after a busy semester. To help you stay productive and healthy over the break, we ™ve covered some of the top dos and don ™ts.

Do:

• Take a break:Recharge your batteries by taking a short break, even if just for a weekend. If you ™re in the cooler eastern states and want to stay warm, consider heading north or over to the western coast. Otherwise, check out some of your state ™s top winter tourist spots ” the snowfields or hot springs regions, for example. For those without the constraints of a student budget, or savvy flight sale shoppers, a short overseas break might also be on the agenda. You can typically find affordable flights to destinations such as Bali, Fiji, New Caledonia, Thailand and Vanuatu.
  
  
• Catch up with friends and family: The last few months have kept you busy, so it ™s important to make time to catch up with friends and family. If you ™ve moved away from home to study, whether it ™s interstate or from the country to the city (or vice versa), they might be feeling a little neglected.
  
  
• Stay fit and healthy: It ™s getting colder, exams are done and you ™re taking a well-deserved break, but that doesn ™t mean letting your healthy habits slide. Stay fit, eat well and be sure to get enough sleep ” your future self will thank you in the new semester.
  
  
• Start planning for the new semester: Skim through subject guides and assignment outlines, read the first few chapters of your textbooks and go stationery shopping if needed. If you prepare your materials ahead of time, you ™ll be able to start afresh and avoid that post-holiday shock in your first class. Also think about some goals you ™d like to achieve over the next semester ” even if it ™s just promising yourself that you won ™t skip Monday lectures. If you want to improve your marks, be realistic and focus on small improvements.

Don ™t:

• Work too much: While it ™s tempting to build up your bank balance over the break, don ™t tire yourself out ” especially if you ™re expecting to combine full-time work with an active social calendar. Take on a few extra shifts but remember to have some time to yourself.
  
  
• Clear your calendar completely: Although the holiday period provides a great opportunity to relax, as we ™ve just mentioned, it doesn ™t mean taking up residence on the couch. There ™s only so much you can watch on Netflix and naps can themselves get tiring. If you ™re not working, take the opportunity to give back to the community (there are heaps of great volunteering opportunities for students) or track down some course-related work experience.
  
  
• Stress about the new semester: Enjoy your break and don ™t start stressing before you need to. Being prepared is great ” we ™ve said this above ” but avoid adding stress to your plate; you want to start class refreshed and ready to take on new challenges.