The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oswego chapter.
With the new semester around the corner, I decided to reflect on my winter break. A few things stuck out to me as my true essentials for this break, so I’ve decided to share them with you!
- “The Mountain is You” By Brianna Wiest- This book popped up on my Tik Tok for you page. I usually don’t dive into BookTok but I decided to give it a try. Let me just tell you…this book actually changed my ways of thinking. I entered the break really wanting to get a hold of my mental health and this book really helped me do that. It talks about how in terms of changing our lifestyle and obtaining our goals, we first have to get over our “mountain” which is ultimately ourselves. The book talks about self-sabotage and how to get over it; I say it’s a must-read!
- “Abbott Elementary” On Hulu- Let me tell you, I’ve been binging this show nonstop. I’m a huge fan of sitcoms and as an aspiring teacher, this show hits all the marks. It has the modern feel of “The Office” type genre with all the right parts; a well-rounded and diverse cast, jokes that apply to today, and the introduction of topics very relevant to the education system that we currently have in this country. You should really try and check this show out!
- Vitamins and Sea Beauty: Sea Kale & Hyaluronic Acid Complex Skin Serum- I’ve really been trying to up my skincare routine this break and just self-care in general. I have pretty oily and acne-prone skin but adding this serum to my routine has really helped me out. It’s not too strong and it has helped my skin clear up which really has boosted my confidence which is all I’m truly aiming for.
- Meditation- This one is pretty simple compared to the others but it’s honestly been a huge game changer. This paired with journaling has really been helping me become more in tune with my emotions. Instead of bottling my feelings away, I’ve been trying to get to the root of why I feel that way and meditation has really been a huge part of that. You don’t have to make it super complicated.At least once a day, take a second to take a few deep breaths; it makes a huge difference. Life can get pretty overwhelming but if you take a few moments to regroup, it can become just a little bit easier.
- “SOS” By SZA- I don’t know about you but this album has been on repeat for me! It came out at the perfect time for me and ever since then, SZA literally has been helping me heal. The whole album has so many songs with such amazing lyricism that reflects what a talented singer-songwriter SZA is. My favorites by far (which is difficult because I love all of them) are Low, Used, Ghost in the Machine, Seek & Destroy, and Snooze. If you told me to pick one, I don’t think I actually could!
So there it is! These five things definitely got me through the break and I’m sure they’ll be there to get me through the semester too.