1. Put lights up
Tis’ the season for decorating with Christmas lights! BC ResLife allows Christmas lights from October 15th to January 15th! Get creative in your dorm rooms and make things festive! Your room will be instantly transformed into a cozy winter wonderland to study (and have guests over)!
2. Holiday-themed Pandora
Don’t let the stress of finals ruin your holiday spirit. If you listen to music while studying, try out Christmas-themed Pandora stations or 8 tracks. Just make sure that you control yourself in the library when Mariah Carey’s infectious “All I Want For Christmas Is You” comes on. For those of you who are easily distracted by music while studying, classical or instrumental holiday stations are an option. If this is still too much, take a study break and listen to one song in the midst of your studying! Listening to holiday music is a great way to lift your spirits and motivate yourself to keep swimming during finals week.
3. Holiday drinks
With unpredictable Boston weather and the winter season upon us, nothing is better than snuggling up in a warm blanket and making yourself a steaming cup of hot cocoa. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts also have other specialty holiday drinks. Indulge and treat yourself!
4. Go into the city
Boston is already hustling and bustling in the holiday spirit. Whether you take a weekend shopping trip to Newbury or go ice-skating with your roommates on Frog Pond, going into the city during the holiday season is a must. Go see the Christmas tree at Faneuil Hall or just enjoy the city lights.
5. Online shop
As college students, it can be a little hard to get out of the BC bubble and shop for gifts during finals week. However, if you know what you want to get for your family and friends back home, make a list and gradually take advantage of the World Wide Web. Don’t forget to look for online coupons and deals! With each purchase you will be crossing people off your list and the five or so days home before December 25th will be relaxing and stress-free.
6. Have an ugly sweater party
A fun way to get your friends into the holiday spirit and take some seriously dorky pictures is to host an ugly sweater party. Either hunt down an ugly sweater in your closet or go to a nearby thrift store to get your fashion statement. The ugly sweater theme is great for holiday potlucks or for a Friday night! It’s a perfect recipe for fun… (Just add eggnog!)
7. Make a countdown
Sometimes finals week seems like it’s never going to end. Purchasing an advent calendar or making a paper chain to countdown until you go home for winter break is a great way to keep the motivation flowing. Going home to see your family and friends for a month off of school is exciting, but just remember, finals come first!
8. Give back
The best thing about the holiday season is not the clothes you wear, the gifts you buy, or the songs you listen to. Even though we should embrace the notion of giving back throughout the entire year, the holiday season presents opportunities for giving back. As men and women for others, there are countless opportunities to get involved. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating to Toys for Tots, or even being more mindful and kind is a great way to start giving back to your community.
9. Watch your favorite movies
Netflix has a great selection of holiday movies from Home Alone to classics like White Christmas. Movies like Love Actually or The Holiday never get old. Taking a study break and watching one of your favorite Christmas movies is a great way to recharge your batteries and get into the holiday spirit. Invite some friends over, get the popcorn ready, and enjoy your all time favorite holiday movies.
10. Spread the holiday cheer
Whether it’s sending out an 8-man Christmas card, holding the door open for a stranger, or saying happy holidays to the cashier at lower, spreading holiday cheer is essential to getting into the holiday spirit. As Buddy the Elf says: “Treat everyday like Christmas! There’s room for everyone on the nice list!” Encourage others to embrace the holiday season and get their names on Santa’s nice list! Don’t let the weather, your Facebook relationship status, or your workload get you down. Face it, the holiday season is for everyone, whether you realize it or not.
Photo Sources:
http://entertainment.ie/wtf/Home-Alone-The-Reality-Show/131990.htm
http://www.destinationsperfected.com/2011/12/boston-massachusetts-christmas-in.html
http://e-infopages.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/online_shopping_christmas.jpg
http://www.yourdailyvegan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/starbucks-holiday-drinks.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41188800@N00/galleries/72157622618896211/