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How to Balance School, Work and the Holiday Season

By Jenna Moede

The holiday season has come again, and we have to figure out how to fit everything into our schedules. During this season, I feel more overwhelmed than any other time of year because of all of the engagements, traditions and decisions. The entire season can cause a lot of stress.

Enjoying the season really comes down to balancing your time. I used to get so behind on the things that mattered, like schoolwork, because I focused so much on the celebration. Now, I take a more relaxed and balanced approach, which works much better.

When it comes to enjoying the holidays, wrapping up college courses tops the list of important things to do. I had to start thinking of acing my exams and final projects as finishing strong rather than as more busy work to cram in.

During my first semester at college, I decided to barely study for my tests and slap together my final projects at the last minute, and it almost cost me my GPA. I barely scraped by, but I learned that even with all the festivities, I had to make school a priority.

First rule, try not to procrastinate like I did. Find ways to motivate yourself so that you can enjoy the holidays and finish all of your work. Set aside time when you know you will have a place and the time to study. Look at your schedule and pinpoint deadlines for projects and exams early in the semester so  you can prepare ahead of time. Know how much work you'll need to do and how much time you'll need to spend doing it.

Additionally, don't just rely on that time you’ve set aside. Also use whatever downtime you can spare to write a quick paragraph for a paper or reread your notes in preparation for an exam. Spending even small blocks of time can really help improve study habits and those times can help keep you focused. Take advantage of the time you have to spare so you can spend the rest of your time enjoying holiday activities.

Also, make plans as early as possible. I try to pick the activities or parties I want to do over the season and schedule them, but I keep my schedule flexible. Make sure your schedule can move around unexpected work days or snow days so your plans won't be thrown off. Knowing our list of activities early really helps me figure out what time I will have free and when I can plan to work.

I also make sure that I don't just make things flexible, but that I give everyone responsibilities for each activity. If I don't have to remember everything myself, it makes me so much more calm and better with time management. I even do this when I do something with just my husband that doesn't take a lot of effort.

Holiday movie nights are a great example. I choose the movie and my husband chooses the snacks. It doesn't seem like much, but knowing that I don't have to make a trip to the store frees up a little bit more of my time.

This trick works for everything from having everyone bring a favorite dish to dinner to planning who will buy ski lift tickets and who will get the skis ready. Those times when I know my husband will be busy preparing for his part of our plans are the best times to block off for my work.

Finally, try not to forget that things might not end up perfectly but that imperfections can make the holidays even more memorable. One year my husband was supposed to work, but he got off early. I felt like we had to have a special dinner so we cooked everything we had in our cupboards and fridge and made a feast of cornflakes, ice cream, and freezer burned vegetables. It tasted horrible, but I laughed so hard making a huge mess in our kitchen! The preparation fun turned out way better than the meal that year.

Not stressing over everything definitely helps me find the time to finish my work and enjoy the time I have with my family and friends over the holidays. When I combine all of these holiday strategies, it helps to make my time as useful, and as fun, as possible.

Remember, do what works best for you and make schoolwork a priority. Make sure you don't throw away all your hard work at the end of the semester. Keep focused and try to find the perfect balance for you.   

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