Sleep and holiday gifts weren't the only good things to come out of winter break. Bringing a break mindset into the new semester can help ward off stress when work starts piling up.
Massive amounts of cake and pie, holly covering every surface of the house and custom Christmas ornaments with embarrassing photos are just a few of the things students might miss now that break is over.
Joeleen Cooper, staff clinician for Student Counseling Services, said leaving such familiar surroundings can be stressful for some.
"Sometimes I think one of the big ones is for people who have been struggling with homesickness," Cooper said. "It can be really tough to have that time back home and then have to come back and adjust to that again."
Caroline Layden, freshman in communication disorders, said although it was difficult to leave the friends she visited in Tampa, Fla., she appreciated celebrating Christmas a second time with her Auburn friends.
"I was texting my roommate and my suitemates the entire time I was away," Layden said. "When we got back we went out to dinner and exchanged Christmas gifts, so it was pretty easy to get back into it, just hanging out with them."
Cooper said students should take the opportunity to find a comfortable environment away from family, and she recommends nurturing friendships soon after the semester begins.
"It's nice when you get back in town to just shoot someone a text or a call to let them know you're around," she said. "I think one of the themes of that is to not wait for these people to get in contact with you because you want to be as proactive as you can."
Cooper also said returning to Auburn can be an opportunity to get family involved in University events.
"Another thing that's important is finding a way to involve your family and friends back home with your life at Auburn," Cooper said. "Getting people to come visit you or letting them know some of the things you are doing and keeping them up to date are some of the ideas I have."
Caleb Roby, junior in geology, said although many people dread the end of break, stressful situations will never last too long either.
"Just remember that it's going to end at some point, so you just have to do what you have to do and be calm about it," he said. "Don't freak out or stress about anything."
Cooper said breaking the winter break mentality is the hardest part of returning after the holidays.
"Even for me, when I'm on a break I know my sleep schedule gets really off," she said. "If I don't have any demands on my schedule, I might spend a lot of time doing relaxing things, so I think getting back into a routine as soon as possible is really important."
Layden said while an 8 a.m. class might be difficult, it's important not to stress and to make time to relax.
"Just try to make time for your friends, and make sure you have time to do the fun things you like to do," Layden said.
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