Going into the holidays with the stress of tests, assignments, and essays can be pretty overwhelming.

It’s not just that there are tons of assignments coming up but the fact that the holidays come with added stress. It’s no secret that many students worry about getting enough money for presents, needing to travel to various locations for family gatherings, and having to work part-time in addition to school. For many, the holidays can be an added stress.

But it’s important to remember that the holidays can also be fun and gathering with friends and family is actually a really great way to release some stress.

There are some things you can do to reduce the cost of holiday gifts if you’ve been stressing about the perfect gift to get someone or scrounging up enough money for all the people you wanted to grab something for. But, the main point of the holidays is to spend time with someone special and important to you. A great way to embrace company and the holiday spirit without getting too stressed up about it is to host a potluck. You can invite some friends over and make some food and snacks for each other to just relax and enjoy the company. There’s also the added possibility of hosting Secret Santa so you and your friends can set a spending limit with the added joy of who bought a gift for whom.

There are a lot of things to do around your city as well that are low on cost but great ways to blow off some steam. You can hunt around on the internet to see local events happening in your city such as a Christmas market, ice skating, a nice hike through the park to watch the snow and enjoy scenery, or watching the lighting of Christmas trees. Doing some research into the fun things around town is bound to lift your spirits and take your mind off of things for a while also enjoying the holidays.

One of the best things you can do to reduce stress is also to set a schedule for any schoolwork. Be sure to make a schedule and stick to it so you can not only finish your assignments on time but also give yourself the opportunity to relax knowing that you got some work done early and can spend more time with friends and family.

It’s important to remember that the holidays can be stressful but there are ways to embrace the time off from school. Just be sure to stick to your schedule to get your work done and also be sure to make the time for your friends and family. Remember that those around you aren’t expecting fancy presents or for you to spend half a paycheque on them. The holidays are all about spending time together and giving yourself some down time from the craziness of school.

Take some time for yourself but remember to take some time for others as well. That’s what the holidays are all about.