5 things to do during winter break

Exams are over!! Congratulations!! You did it!!!!

Enjoy this feeling. Don't think about school for the next week or two. RELAX.

I miss that feeling of being DONE. I feel it a little bit as a teacher this semester, actually. That feeling of submitting grades. Being done. It feels good.

Take some time to enjoy it. 

And then, when you feel rested, start priming again for next semester. How you do this is up to you, but here are some things I used to (and still) do during my winter breaks:

1. Buy a new journal for the year and start writing your thoughts about how the past year went and what you want to accomplish next year. 

2. Make a collage of pictures and quotes that inspire you for next year and hang it up in your room or office. 

3. Write down some goals or intentions for the next year. Keep them small, specific, little things you can control. Especially new habits you'd like to adopt - what is one thing you can do every day that would help you reach one of your biggest goals? 

4. Choose a good book and make it a goal to finish it before the next semester. The book should be something that can help you improve or get better at something you're trying to achieve. If you have a friend or a group of friends with the same interests or goals, start a mini book club or just read together and chat about it periodically.

5. Do something artistic. Paint, draw, write, take pictures, dance, sing, build, play an instrument, act, etc. You don't need to be good at it. Just create something original. I don't have any science behind this for you, but it's something I do every year and it always rejuvenates me for the next year and makes me feel like I can do anything. For some reason, I don't get discouraged at my terrible water colors or colored-pencil drawings. They aren't good - trust me. I know that. But it doesn't bother me. I still find joy in creating something just from my own brain. It's empowering somehow. Try it. Trust me. 

Due to winter break I won't be posting as frequently until January so if I don't see you until then, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!! :) 

College To-Do List Week 20: Set your goals

College To-Do list is almost over (which means your semester is almost over!!). Congratulations and keep on going strong. You're almost there!

Below is a to-do list item that you should definitely do if you haven't already. It's something I still do every day. :)

Top 5 reasons why writing "dear diary" can change your life

I've kept a journal since I was in middle school. Thankfully I don't have the ones I wrote then (I fear to know where my mind was then) but I do love reading the journals I've written in college and beyond, reading reflections from my past. 


We live in a fast paced culture that leaves almost no time for reflection. We rarely pause (unless we're talking a DVR snack break). 


So much happens in the world, in our communities, and in our daily lives, and yet before we know it there is a new day and we've barely been able to process the one before. 


Reflection, however, is vital for growth. Learning comes from reflection. 


And that includes learning about yourself and what you want to do with your life during and after college. So below are the top 5 reasons why starting a journal and committing to writing in it at least once per week can improve your life. 

1. It's easy to stereotype journaling as "dear diary, the cute boy looked at me today..." but it can be so much more. Journaling helps you reflect on the current situations in your life and see them more clearly. It gives you a chance to think and, often, come up with solutions to your own problems. 


2. While journals can be great for venting, I've actually found it's best to keep them as positive as possible. Who wants to remember or dwell on the bad things? Writing down what was great about your day or what you are hopeful about for the future will improve your mood. 


3. A journal is a great place to start mulling over your goals and what you want out of life. Sometimes you may talk about your day, but if you're anything like me, you'll want to fill your journal with rambling thoughts, hopes, and questions about the future. A journal is a great place to get to know yourself. And knowing yourself is key to succeeding in college and in your career. 


One of my rambling journal entries from 8/12/07: I don't know what I want to do with my life. I feel so lost. Growing up is happening so fast - I can't believe I start my junior year at Stetson in a few weeks. I'm excited for my major but I still don't know what I want to do. All I know is I want a job that is fun and flexible and that inspires and encourages people. Real specific, right? Ah! I would love to write a book. How wonderful that would be!? I've always wanted to write a non-fiction book. But what am I good at? What should my career actually be? I still don't know exactly and I feel like I'm running out of time. [isn't it funny that 'author' as a career popped up...my journal was vital in my journey to figure out my career].


12/18/08: What will my job be in only...5 MONTHS?!?! Ahhh go away real world!!!! [lol]


4. A picture's worth a thousand words, but sometimes a few words paint a great picture. Sometimes if I don't have a lot of time I'll just jot down a few random things about the day that I know I'll love to look back on. Journals are a fun and insightful read once a year - as good, if not better, than a photo album (or a Facebook timeline). 


Bullets from a journal entry of random thoughts on 11/2/07: *Poetry is so incredible when read by its writer.*Revelation: I'm always more tired the 2nd morning after I've had little sleep. *I miss 7th grade sleepovers.*Starbucks isn't that exciting to me anymore. *I love my comparative politics class. *Eating 2 nutrition bars and a frosty is not a proper dinner. *I like fake flowers.


5. Buying a journal you love is really fun. From splurging on a super-flowery blue Vera Bradlely notebook to buying a small turquoise one for $2.97 that says in silver "She's a dreamer, a doer, a thinker. She sees possibility everywhere" - I've always been drawn to journals that make me feel something, that shine like a precious treasure waiting to hold my life. Find something that inspires you when you open it each day or week. I was drawn to the first significant college journal I ever bought because of what was written in white cursive on the dark navy cover: 


just when the
caterpillar
thought the 
world was over,
it became
a butterfly.

Taking a Vacation Every Day

Ok. I have to be honest here. I don’t have a lava-rock formation facing the Pacific Ocean at my house.

We are all entitled to dreams though, right?

I posted this picture because I think it represents one of the most important concepts that we often forget. 

We need to recharge.

I don’t mean blow off steam – and I don’t mean just become vegetables.

I think we need to find time to regroup, reinvest in our own thoughts, and take some deep breaths.

If you can, find something beautiful that you can reflect on. I’m not in Hawaii on vacation like I was in this picture, but some afternoons, when I need to recharge, I simply open up my window and take a few minutes to relax, or write in a journal, without the television or computer on, and with my phone and iPod silent.

You probably won’t have time for you to do this for as long as you should every day. My schedule rarely permits more than fifteen or even thirty minutes. 

But if you try it, I think you will appreciate those little breaks more than you ever thought you could. No music. No TV. No computer. No texting or phone calls. Sometime, that little break is what keeps me upbeat about things that I know I want and need to do, but at times can feel overwhelmed by.

Just a fifteen-minute mini-vacation. You work hard - you deserve it, and the clarity and tranquility that time will provide can give you the energy to push through your daily tasks with positive energy, rather than dread. 

Give it a try. Send me a postcard :)