Each month, student members provide insight and tips on a particular topic. This month focuses on how to manage holiday stress.

How to Deal with Holiday Stress

Listen to the song "So this is Christmas" by John Lennon and reflect on all that you have accomplished since January. Maybe you have successfully proposed or defended your thesis or dissertation, maybe you aced a stats course that you felt you were drowning in, or maybe you finished your very first year of grad school with the confidence to keep going. Whatever it is, celebrate it, take pride, and worry about New Year's resolutions later!
-Corin Ramos, University of Texas at El Paso

Don't hurt your health. Overindulgence during the holiday season will only add to your stress. Don't go overboard and allow this time to become a wild, all-you-can-eat, free-for-the-taking buffet. Limit your alcohol consumption. Get plenty of rest. Step away from all the activity and take a breather. Keep to your daily exercise regime, if you have one, or simply take a short walk to clear your mind. Eat healthy snacks so you don't kill it on sweets and drinks. When the holidays are over, your body will thank you for it.
-Meriqua Daniella White, Liberty University

Actually take some time to spend with friends, family, and partners as this really is a stressful time. We all want to be productive with the extra time we are given over the holidays, but, we also all need a hard reset to keep going.
-Katy Krieger, Oregon State University

How to be Productive During the Holidays

Write something each day, even if it is just a paragraph or a new table.
-Katy Krieger, M.A. Oregon State University

Make sure to communicate and write down your travel schedule, your mentor’s travel schedule, plus any labmates’ travel schedules for the season ahead of time. That way there are not any project delays due to miscommunication about when people will be unavailable for work.
-Santa’s Research Assistant, North Pole

How to Deal with Holiday Finances on a Student Budget

Don't buy gifts immediately. Instead, total up your expenses (rent, utilities, food, etc.), leave a bit of leeway, and then look into buying gifts.
-Katheryn Bermann, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

If you’re doing any lab or departmental holiday events, organizing events that have a potluck or white elephant theme can be a great way to spread the holiday cheer without expecting people to buy presents for multiple people.
-Santa’s Research Assistant, North Pole

Not Sure What to Give to Another Student, or What to Put on Your Own List?

Need a new educational program like SPSS? Ask for it for Christmas. Also, memberships to organizations like SPSP or APA are a great one to get checked off your list and taken care of for a whole year without the money coming from you! You can even ask for money toward your future conference trips (Southwest does gift cards now)!
-Katy Krieger, Oregon State University

Amazon gift cards.
-Katheryn Bermann, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

USB flash drive, laptop, ceramic (microwaveable) travel coffee mugs, unique notepads, DeskCycle!
-Corin Ramos, University of Texas at El Paso

Penurious graduate and undergraduate students need money for everything. So, if you’re still trying to find the perfect gift for the college students in your life, just give them money.
-Toe Aung, Albright College

Make donations to charities and organizations in someone's name. People love this gift, they feel like givers, you feel like a giver, and people actually make use of these donations.
-Katy Krieger, Oregon State University