How Students Can Handle Holiday Blues Away From Home
The holiday season is a time of happy gatherings and joy. For many students who are away from home, holiday time can be associated with sadness and solitude. These feelings multiply when others celebrate happily with their family and friends.
In this article, we share some tips on how to stay connected and make the season happier, even from afar.
Why Students Experience Winter Blues
When students are away from home, they not only miss festive moments with their family, but also observe how others prepare and wait for the festive season. Photos and videos with a cozy atmosphere on social networks can make things even worse.
Other things that can contribute to holiday blues:
- Financial pressure. When students have limited budgets, they cannot travel to see their families or buy gifts.
- Social isolation. Peers and friends refuse to spend time with each other because of family gatherings, so a person may feel lonely and isolated while others are celebrating.
- Seasonal changes. Shorter days, less sunlight, and lower energy levels contribute to feelings of fatigue and depression.
When students realize how these triggers affect them, it is easier to develop self-compassion — it is natural to experience sadness because of these factors.
How Can Students Cope with Seasonal Low
During the cold months, some students experience a lack of motivation and laziness. Dark days can make many people sleepy and unenergized.
However, there are ways to make the most of these dark days and improve your mood:
- Practice mindfulness. Find some moments that bring you happiness, and be grateful for them. For example, watching nature, listening to relaxing music, or doing yoga. Note that you are fully aware and immersed in the moment.
- Find some ways to brighten up your days. Social contact, visits to beautiful places, and tasty meals can lift your mood and temporarily forget about sadness.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Consistent rest helps stabilize energy and mood.
- Get more light. Even if it isn't sunny, students should position lamps near their study or working area. Artificial lights help to improve moods and focus. These lights are especially important if it's not sunny outside.
- Exercise daily. Even moderate exercise, but done regularly, helps improve mood and make you feel refreshed. During lazy periods, even students can do some light exercise that they enjoy.
Stay Connected Virtually
Keeping in touch with your family digitally can give positive emotions even if you can’t meet physically. It can alleviate the feeling of loneliness and sadness. Arrange frequent video calls to feel the support and love of your family.
You can make these calls more enjoyable by adding playful touches:
- Add fun backgrounds or filters. The call will amuse your family if you use a funny filter to make everyone laugh.
- Prepare a game. You can suggest playing some funny games connected to Christmas. Let everyone prepare a small and simple game that can be both entertaining and useful.
- Do a themed call. Discuss with the members of your family to have a themed call. For example, you all can wear pajamas or funny festive hats. It will be fun for everyone.
- Prepare a story. You can add a thoughtful touch to your conversation by sharing a personal Christmas memory about your family based on family traditions. You can get creative and create your own Christmas tale and share it with family members.
- Watch a movie together. You can just watch a movie together online, laugh and have fun, and discuss some funny moments from it online.
Sharing stories, making funny touches to your video call can bring a sense of closeness and togetherness, and make the person less homesick.
Create Your Own Traditions
Creating traditions helps to connect with your family when you are away from home. Students can cook a dinner using a recipe that their family members enjoy, decorate their space in a way that their family likes, or create other traditions. Personal traditions can foster a sense of joy and meaningful connection.
Here are some ideas for such traditions:
1. Cook a festive meal. Remember the recipes that members of your family use regularly, and prepare a seasonal feast. Make a video call with your family to show your meals, and invite your friends to share these dishes. You can tell your family members how people appreciated meals cooked based on their recipes.
2. Make DIY holiday decorations. You can create some DIY decorations that are connected to memories from home. Share them with your family — they will be glad to know that you are thinking about them. Use simple materials and recycle items. This tradition adds a sense of creativity and a personal touch to the holiday season.
3. Keep a gratitude journal. Take some spare time and reflect on last year to express thanks for moments with your family, both offline and virtually, and other happy moments. Note all moments when you felt happy, calm, and accomplished. Share your journal entries with your family and stay connected even when you're away from home.
4. Start a photo exchange. Take some photos of how you are preparing for the holiday season, and how you are spending your time alone and with friends. Ask family members to take memorable photos and exchange them. You can have fun while doing this during a video call.
5. Create a memory box. Collect some things associated with the holiday season, like tickets to some events, memorable photos, and gifts. During the video call with your family, show these items and tell stories about them. Ask your family members to do the same. This tradition is sweet and memorable.
6. Write letters. You can send a handwritten letter to your family before the holidays with some sincere words and greetings. This tradition might seem old-fashioned, but it is a heartfelt way to show your love and care. It is exciting to receive a personal letter from someone who lives far away.
Secret Santa Gift Exchange: A Fun Way to Connect
A Secret Santa gift exchange is one more tradition to stay connected during the holidays. Students can organize two types of exchanges: a virtual one with their family members and with their friends offline.
Students can organize a Secret Santa gift exchange with friends, group mates, or members from online communities. This participation alleviates the feeling of loneliness and makes the season brighter. The exchange should not cause inconveniences — gifts should not be expensive, but thoughtful and caring.
Students can also choose a specific topic for the gift exchange, which is connected with fun and jokes, that only students in this group understand. The experience of unwrapping gifts together fosters laughter and a sense of belonging. It is therapeutic for both students who experience homesickness and those who seek additional fun.
Students can play Secret Santa online with their family members online. To do it, they should set a budget and a date for the gift exchange. Gifts can be connected with family traditions, and personal gifts are also welcome. On the exchange day, people open gifts together during a video call and exchange laughter and smiles. This activity is useful because it keeps family traditions alive, strengthens bonds, and allows everyone to participate even if they live far apart.
To join this game, every participant is randomly paired with someone else to purchase a gift for, with their identity remaining unknown until the swap. The simplest way to set this up is by using a free online Secret Santa platform, such as the MySanta app, where participants can also make wishlists to assist their Santas. These platforms streamline the process and add extra enjoyment for all involved.
Conclusion
The holiday season can be a challenge for students who are far from their families. However, they can maintain communication and feeling connected and supported from afar with personal traditions, gifts, and video calls. Students can feel better with these activities and establish meaningful relationships.
FAQs
How to improve your mood when you're away from your family?
Focusing on hobbies and favourite activities and connecting with nice people can boost your mood. Regular video calls and calm conversations with family members provide comfort and peace of mind.
How can students stay motivated when they're feeling lonely?
Breaking tasks down into smaller chunks makes studying easier. Taking short breaks and taking days off from studying helps recharge the batteries.
Can volunteering help with homesickness during holidays?
Volunteering gives a sense of meaning. Plus, interacting with people who are also experiencing emotional challenges can help deal with stress and isolation.
