Winter break brings so many things to look forward to—hot chocolate, opening Christmas presents, and of course, ringing in the New Year. But there’s also one thing many of us can’t help but dread: returning to school. This familiar feeling of unease presents itself every year, but this time, it feels even more overwhelming. Why? Because, to top it all off, snow has caused us to have a four-day weekend right after only two days of school. To me, it’s almost a cruel reminder that I was in fact not ready at all to get back into the swing of things. Instead of easing back into the routine, it feels like I’m stuck in a weird limbo: we’ve barely started and I already need another break.
But how do I get unstuck? How do I return to normal? Through much pondering and reflection I’ve come to the conclusion that one needs three things to manage school after a long break: a routine, self-care, and a positive mindset.
1. Establishing a routine
If you’re anything like me, relaxing for two entire weeks can sometimes feel almost criminal. Maybe it’s the overachiever in me, but as soon as I took a break from socializing with friends and family and indulged in scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, dabbling on YouTube, and then looping back to TikTok, I started to feel lazy and unproductive. It’s like the guilt starts creeping in, telling me I should be doing something, anything that feels “productive.”
This made me realize that a structured routine really does take away that guilt we often feel. For the first time in at least a year, I started working out again. I remembered how much I missed the feeling of being flexible and strong, like I was when I had a consistent workout routine. So, I took the initiative to add it back into my daily schedule, something I hadn’t prioritized in a while.
On top of that, this break gave me the chance to reflect on last year’s unaccomplished goals. One thing really stuck with me: I never finished my 60-book goal. More importantly, I realized that I haven’t been excited or interested in reading since then. To change that, I grabbed Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé off my shelf—a book I’ve tried to read at least three times. And honestly? Without going full nerd on you, I’ll just say this: it’s brought back that feeling I used to get when I read. It’s reminded me of why I love books and has actually gotten me excited about reading again.
Although these are only two things I’ve added to my everyday routine, accomplishing these makes me feel genuinely fulfilled. Each little step brings me closer to becoming the person I want to be—the student i want to be—and it finally feels like I’m making progress again.
2. Practicing self-care
I feel like everyone acknowledges that self-care is important, but many forget to mention how different it can look for each person. For me, sure, self-care sometimes involves face masks and doing my nails, but most of the time, it’s about simpler things. It’s reading in my room with the lights dimmed, working out, going outside, spending time with the people I love, and enjoying my favorite foods while watching my go-to shows and movies.
I used to think self-care had to look the same for everyone, and in my mind, that usually involved expensive serums and warm bubble baths. But here’s the thing: if you love those things, go ahead and enjoy them! But self-care doesn’t have to look that way. It’s really about finding what makes you happy and doing the things that refresh and recharge you. Once you find what works for you, that sense of renewal will follow and will show at school.
3. Having a positive mindset
I know, I know—cliché: “having a positive mindset fixes all your problems.” But I can tell you, as someone born and raised in the Texas heat, now enduring 30-degree weather, finding a positive mindset can be really difficult at times. Complaining might feel like the immediate solution, but honestly, I’ve learned that the more you speak negatively about something, the more you dread it.
Right now, I’m wrapping up my DECA project (yes, I procrastinated a lot), and even though I’m feeling super overwhelmed, I realized that the more I complained about it, the less I actually got done. Once I shifted my mindset and turned the negativity into something productive—like writing checklists and communicating with my group—I started to see real progress.
Trust me, I know coming back to school can feel like the worst thing ever, but focusing on the positives—seeing your friends, going to your favorite class, or even getting one step closer to graduating—makes everything feel easier and helps the days fly by.
Well, there you have it, all of my reflection dumped into one long article. It’s definitely not easy to come back to school but I’ve learned that by establishing a routine, practicing self-care, and maintaining a positive mindset, managing school after a break becomes a lot more doable.
