It's that time of year when everything becomes a little bit more - maybe a lot more - hectic because of the holidays. It's around this time in the year when a lot work has to be done. For students, those final unit tests, papers, and projects are due, which means a lot of unscheduled cramming to make sure you complete everything by the deadline. Midterms and finals are coming up and you may or may not have already started studying, and you're probably stressing out in general because you have no idea when to start or even how to. Distant family relatives could be coming in soon if they haven't already, and that means you'll have to update everyone on your personal life. And don't forget to remember that you still have to get the perfect presents for your loved ones! Winter break is so close, and all you want is to be thinking about something other than all the things you have to do. Don't worry, we're here to help!

Stay positive - Radiate positivity and gratitude and you will surely receive the same in return. Don't let the stress get you down. Keep your head up and put a smile on your face. You'll feel rewarded at the end of it all. Another way you can boost your mood, is to make sure your serotonin production is continuous. You can do this by exercising, getting some air and sunshine, and practicing good sleeping habits.

Be comfortable - Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable. You can be as dressy as you want or as dressed down as you want. Yes, sweats and oversized sweaters are acceptable. If you feel good wearing it, your whole day will be so much better.

Sleep - As hard as it is sometimes, getting enough sleep is super important and beneficial to your well being. Why? Not only does it put you in a non-cranky mood, but it is also good for immune system with fighting off colds and viruses. You may think that staying up late to cram will help you, but lack of sleep prevents your brain from retaining important information and there is a high risk of memories/info getting lost. On top of that, do not run the risk of being too tired during the thing you have to do the next day. Go sleep. Your cognition will work more efficiently and you'll be able to understand more if you sleep.

Get in the spirit - If you celebrate Christmas, listen to some Christmas music to get you in the mood! Now is the time to listen to Mariah Carey's Christmas album on repeat to your heart's content. With your loved ones, decorate a tree, build a gingerbread house, make lots of holiday themed cookies, and hang up those stockings. You should also watch your favorite Christmas movies and watch a tv series (but you might want to wait till your work is out of the way for that one).

Be creative - When it comes to presents, DIY and sentimental presents are always a good go to and come Christmas time, the person who is getting it will be super touched. You might want to look out for these kinds of gifts because they could be more cost effective than an already made item. In terms of decorating, look for inspiration for fun ideas to make your house ready for the holidays. Check out Pinterest for these things (it has everything you can think of, well mostly)!

Get organized -  With school, plan out your weeks to make sure you know when things are due and how you can optimize your time on certain things. If you have a planner, use it. Use your phone calendar. Set reminders for yourself. Create incentives to get you working. A helpful tip is to put your major assignments first and get them over with instead of leaving them for last minute! Yes, we understand that that can be challenging, but it leaves you with time to spare, and in that case, REVISE your work to get the highest scores you can!
With presents, create a spreadsheet where you can list the things you want to give to your loved ones. Create a budget for yourself, so you don't end up with $0 in your pocket by the end of shopping, or even too soon. Keep the person you're giving the present to's interests in mind so they appreciate the gift. Thought really does count.

Be yourself - Don't feel like you have to change who you are in order to impress other people.  Don't let other people bring down your mood because that's just a waste of time. Stay you and be true to that because you know how hard you're truly working and how passionate you are about doing the things that you love.

At times, it may seem like you're probably the only one who is being put under so much stress and pressure, but trust us, you aren't. There are people out there who will support you and help you if you need it. "The way I see it, if you want a rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain," said Dolly Parton. And as Wooden said, "Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."