Paul and Gabby's Tip of the Week: Thanksgiving Break

The final stretch is here! Congratulations on almost finishing your first semester at UMass! The stress of midterms, signing up for classes, and writing that 10 page paper is overwhelming and time consuming. Luckily, Thanksgiving break is coming. With the business that occurs before Thanksgiving, here are some tips on how to have a relaxing break that will help you feel refreshed and ready to complete your semester once you return from home.

RELAX!

Take advantage of being home. While you will only be home for a few days, savor this time. It's important to enjoy the company of your family and friends- people that you may not have seen for the entire semester! Thanksgiving is the perfect time to chat with your family members about how your semester has been going, all of the new people you've met, and your plans for next semester. Family will ask TONS of questions, so be prepared to talk and talk and repeat yourself many times. You may have tons of homework to complete while home- forget about this for at least a day or two and catch up with friends at a cafe or the movies. And most importantly, SLEEP IN. You deserve it. 

Plan for the Upcoming Weeks

Socialize and relax while at home, but remember that the weeks after Thanksgiving are some of the hardest academic weeks to complete at college. With final exams and final papers coming up before you know it, it's good to plan out studying times and homework times. Spend some time at home getting any makeup or lingering work done. It's also a good idea to schedule in exams and due dates in your calendar so you know when to take work off or study at the library. Planning the weeks after Thanksgiving will help you breeze on through finals, making Winter break just THAT much closer!

Get Excited to Come Back to Campus

While being home will be a time to unwind and reconnect, you'll be ready to return back to UMass. You'll miss your new friends and roommates and you'll probably be texting them pictures of your dog and places you go the whole time home. This is good! It means you've had a really enjoyable first semester and that UMass feels like "home". It's great to come back to campus with enthusiasm and a readiness to get back into your daily grind. I (Gabby) remember loving being home and being able to hang out with my family, but I remember even more clearly being SO excited to come back. So relax, plan ahead, and return with lots of vigor to complete your semester!