12 Days of Christmas: Keeping the Christmas Spirit During Finals Stress
It is often said this the most wonderful time of the year, but for students, it’s also one of the most stressful.
Finals week is in full swing, and students all across the country are chugging caffeine drinks, skipping sleep and finding unhealthy ways to cope with the stress. During a time of year when most would rather be decorating Christmas cookies or doing anything other than studying, some students find it hard to feel that famed “Christmas spirit.”
Emily Adams, a student here at Utah State University, agrees with this sentiment about Christmas celebrations.
“I’ve just got to get this done, and then I’ll gladly put up the lights,” she said. “I feel like I can’t start celebrating Christmas until finals are over.”
According to the American Psychological Association, 61% of people feel stress during the holiday season. Add that level of stress to a student’s responsibilities and it’s not hard to see why some students don’t fully enjoy Christmas. However, others see it differently and try to incorporate Christmas as much as they can, despite finals.
“I actually feel the Christmas spirit all the time. It’s what gets me away from my studying. I’ll go and listen to Christmas music or go on a drive,” said James Marsh, a sophomore. “I’ll plan events a week before with all my roommates, and say, ‘This day, this time, we’re going to have a karaoke night or a Grinch night.’”
In the same survey, the APA reports high spirits in 89 percent of people during the holidays. So although this time of year can be stressful, it can also bring the stress levels down, if students take advantage of the season. Other activities for getting into the Christmas spirit could include: listening to Christmas music while cramming, decorating the dorm, buying holiday treats on a budget, or taking a Christmas romantic comedy study break.
The “Christmas spirit” may be a cliché part of the carols, but the effect it has in students’ lives may be a bit bigger. Making finals festive could bring out the holiday joy in students across the world, and can even help with the stress in the long run.
—katelynn.bolen@aggiemail.usu.edu
@kate_bolen