For Americans, winter break is really quite exclusive to the college experience. At what other stage of life does one get a full month in the winter between commitments? Because this is such a unique segment of time, especially with major holidays right in the middle of it, students often struggle to make the most of their breaks.

In my years of work with college students, I’ve noticed that many of them fall into one of two extremes over winter break. There are those who take full advantage of the break and pour all of their efforts into making no effort at all for a full month. The other extreme is those who fill every second of the break with activities to try to make the most of their time. I typically advise students to strike a balance between these two extremes. There should be time for both rest and productivity during this limited annual break.

Rest From Academic Life Over Winter Break from College

After Thanksgiving break, most university students return to an extremely intense few weeks for the end of the fall semester. Once finals are over and all of the papers have been turned in, students really do need a true break. If you are returning home, it takes a few days to get settled and reconnect with friends. Even students who stay in off-campus housing for the break need some concentrated downtime to decompress.

The first week or so of winter break is a great time to simply recharge your own battery and live at a slower pace with less stress. If you do work a part-time job during breaks, consider giving yourself a few days off before getting on the schedule. I see the most burnout in students who never take a break from being constantly busy.

Leverage Time Off During Winter Break for a Productive Spring and Summer

While rest is good, beware of too much of a good thing. If you become fully inert over winter break, you’ll feel sluggish getting back to school rather than rested and recharged. Use the limited and somewhat fractured time of winter break to catch up on preparation for the rest of the academic year.

Underclassmen should spend winter break researching or lining up internships. This is a great time to go on live tours or interviews if you will be interning in your hometown over the summer. Update your résumé over break while you have time to focus on it. If next year’s courses are available for review, sketch out a possible schedule for fall. 

Seniors should use this final winter break to begin working in earnest on finding a job. The job search process can take a while, so it’s perfectly reasonable to start sending résumés in January. If you need to have any documents, certificates, or portfolio work prepared for job interviews, winter break is the time to focus on assembling these materials. 

A Balanced Winter Break Sets College Students Up for Spring Success

If you’ve ever felt the difficulty of getting motivated after too much downtime, or you’ve felt drained from transitioning from one period of intensity to the next, you know that balance is probably a better approach. Winter break really should be a fun part of the whole college experience. Hang out with friends, spend holidays with your loved ones, sleep in when you can, take time for your hobbies, and don’t forget that you’re working towards your professional goals. 

If you’re not sure how exactly to make the most of your winter break, contact me for your free strategy session. We’ll go over your goals and determine the best way for you to strike your perfect winter break balance.