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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 UPRM chapter.


“Oh my… you’re getting a little bigger.” 

“When are you getting married?”

“You have not finished school yet?” 

“Are you having children anytime soon?”

The holidays are supposed to be the best time to spend with our loved ones but, what happens when the people that you care and love are the ones making the best season of the year a sour and not enjoyable one? 

Well, here are some tips that can help to set those boundaries and let you enjoy the best time of the year:

  1. Recognize what you don’t like to hear about

It is super important to be aware of the comments that may trigger you, and make you feel uncomfortable. 

  1. Do not be afraid to speak your mind.

This may sound a little bit passive aggressive but, if they say something just respond. The answer may or may not be sweet for the ones hearing it. 

  1. If you need to leave, just do it. 

If you feel that you cannot handle being in the same circle as them, just leave. At the end of the day, your happiness it’s more valuable than some unnecessary comments. 

  1. If you don’t want to attend, don’t. 

As I mentioned before,  you can just leave. Well… you can also just decide not to attend, and that is perfectly fine.

  1. Make this season about you.

You can be who you want to, do whatever you want to do, that means that you are able to let people know how what they say makes you feel. If they don’t respect what you are trying to communicate, cut them off. 

Protect your peace and mind, and may this last season of the year be the best one you ever had!

Julianis Gracia Ruiz is a writer at Her Campus at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus. She writes monthly articles mostly related to experiences or feelings that may be happening in college and in Her20’s, where she promotes the importance of mental health and shares some tips for improving ourselves. Beyond Her Campus, Julianis is a member at the Industrial Microbiology Student Society (SEMI) where she learns every week about topics of science in the industry and attends different educational talks. She is currently a junior at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, majoring in Industrial Microbiology. In her free time, Julianis enjoys listening to music and discovering new motivational podcasts. She also enjoys baking and trying new recipes most of the Sundays. Julianis shares a special bond with the beach, that's the place where she feels more at peace. She likes to go on road-trips and discover new local places such as coffee shops, restaurants and stores and take pictures for the memories.