It’s (Almost) Time to Take a Break
By the end of this week, many folks on campus will feel lighter with fewer responsibilities. It feels good to wrap up the loose ends of the semester – final projects and exams, saying goodbye to friends, packing up your things, preparing for travel and holidays.
Even with that lightening of our loads, anytime the rhythm of our day shifts, it can feel difficult. Here are some strategies to help you stay healthy and well as you shift from all-out academic mode to your winter break.
- Manage your free time: At the beginning, the extra time can feel like a gift! But the adjustment to free time can be a struggle after a while or, for some, right away.
- Start by taking time to relax.
- Consider making a plan or list of things you would like to do over break.
- Schedule some of your time with things that make you feel good!
- Prep for family & friends: Plan ahead for family and friend encounters.
- What questions or conflicts typically arise?
- How do you want to respond?
- Make a list of coping skills that work for you.
- Focus on you:
- This break can provide you time to focus on how you’re feeling, what you might need, and how to make a plan moving forward.
- Support your holiday wellbeing with strategies from Student Wellness.
- Take care of your mental health: Many people experience a worsening of mental health symptoms around this time of year. If this happens to you, you aren’t alone!
- Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, are real, common, and treatable. And recovery is possible.
- For an initial assessment to seek treatment visit the CAPS website or explore the wide range of mental health resources on the Heels Care Network website.
- UNC offers an array of online mental health screening tools about anxiety, depression, substances, wellbeing, and more.
Healthy Haps this Week
Monday 12/5
- Pet Therapy with Miniature Horses | 10 am | Edible Campus Gardens
- Week of Balance: Coffee Break | 12 pm | Health Sciences Library
- Finals Bootcamp | 12 pm | SASB North
Tuesday 12/6
- Pet Therapy with Therapy Dog Drew | 1 pm | Davis Library
- Week of Balance: Coffee Break | 12 pm | Health Sciences Library
- Finals Bootcamp | 12 pm | SASB North
- Free Beginner Ballroom Dance Lesson | 7 pm | Woolen Gym
Wednesday 12/7
- Finals Bootcamp | 10 am | SASB North
- Women’s Basketball: UNC vs UNCW | 6 pm | Dean Smith Center
Thursday 12/8
- A Discussion on Reparations | 3 pm | Online
Friday 12/9
- Self-Care during the Holiday Season for International Students | 1 pm | Campus Health
Saturday 12/10
- Wilderness First Aid | 9 am | Outdoor Education Center
- Men’s Basketball: UNC vs Georgia Tech | 3:15 pm | Dean Smith Center
UNC Healthy Heels 