Editorial: Take a break!

Each month, the editorial board of The Utah Statesman will share our view on a topic we think is worth addressing. This month, we’re encouraging students to give themselves a mental and emotional break.

To submit a response to this column, or submit a letter to the editor on a new topic, email your submission to opinion@usustatesman.com.

Believe it or not, there are less than three weeks until this semester is finished and the winter break officially begins. Whatever your plans are, we want to encourage you to set aside some time to nourish your mental and emotional health during the break.

Following a difficult 14-week grind — and facing the immediate prospect of another similar grind — it’s not easy to relax and enjoy that three-week break. But it’s important to enjoy that time and reset yourself.

Taking advantage of the break will look different for every person, so do what you need to do. Maybe it’s settling down with that new book you’ve been putting off, finally playing through RDR 2, putting together a puzzle or rewatching your favorite show on Netflix. Maybe it’s board games with family or catching up with old friends. Maybe it’s playing in the snow, learning a new skill, taking yourself on an impromptu vacation to somewhere warm or just laying on your bed and listening to music.

Whatever your thing is, make sure you take some time for it.

Responsibilities don’t go away entirely during the break — we still have to work, prep for the next semester, and clean our apartments — but it’s a necessary opportunity to refresh and reset.

Ninety days of tests, group projects, discussion posts, assignments and hikes up Old Main will take a toll. You might not have passed every test, and you might not have gotten the grade you want in every class, but you deserve a break.

More than that, you need a break.

Celebrate yourself! Completing a semester hard and there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself a pat on the back for making it to the end.

We are emphasizing the necessity of the holiday break because it’s a real thing. Everyone needs time to mentally decompress, especially after the physical, mental and emotional demands of a semester of college.

Now for those of us full-time students who also work, a refreshing break can be harder to achieve. School might be on pause but you still have to show up to work everyday. It’s still possible to enjoy the break and find the reset you need, though.

Temporarily eliminating the hustle and bustle of school will free up your life, in terms of mental space as well as time. You’ll still be working, but you don’t have to deal with Greg from stats, or your professor from stats, or just stats in general, and that really is something to celebrate and enjoy.

For our more anxious Aggie friends, it’s easy to be consumed with anxiety waiting for final grades to come in. But take a deep breath and focus on the present and the future. Learn the lessons from the semester that need to be learned, but don’t spend those precious three weeks worrying about things you can no longer control. Caring about grades is good, but maintaining that level of mental stress into the break is not healthy.

We’re not saying you should be comatose for three weeks, and we’re definitely not saying you should find a cure for the common cold with your newfound time and mental energy. It’s critical to find a happy medium, invest your time in yourself and enjoy the simple things. Take lots of naps, hug the family dog, watch the snow fall with a family member, and spend time with your hobbies.

You’ve earned this break and you need this break. Give your mind and your emotions the chance to relax and refresh.

Finish this semester strong then give yourself a break before spring semester starts. You deserve it!