You’re finally going home for the holidays and after finishing your last final, you couldn’t feel more stress free. Or one would think. Having holiday anxiety can sometimes make the holiday season seem more nerve-wracking than necessary. These are just a few things those with holiday anxiety know to be true:
- Being invited to holiday parties is great and all, but if the social anxiety starts to kick in, this can be a daunting experience.
- Sitting around the dinner table and chatting with loved ones is fun until someone asks about your post-graduation plans. Cue sobbing.
- Spending time alone sounds so nice after enduring a semester of hard work, late nights, and lots of studying. But, you know in the back of your head you should really go out and spend time with friends while you’re home.
- Let’s not forget about last minute shopping. There’s always that one family member that has slipped your mind. Gift card it is. There’s no way the crowded mall is going to be an option.
- Travel anxiety. After taking a train, followed by a bus, then train again, and waiting on long lines, all you’re going to want to do is curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and sleep for days.
- A few days in, you’ll most likely have roommate separation anxiety. So you'll probably spend a lot of time texting them while avoiding your family.
- And lastly, there’s the anxiety that comes along with hoping you picked out the right gift for everyone, especially your significant other. You definitely don’t want to mess that one up.
But, the most important thing is to try and take some time to relax during the holidays. Don't set expectations too high and keep smiling. You can get through this, hopefully without being too overwhelmed.
