GUEST BLOGGER: SOPHIA BERCOW, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

The end of winter break often means the end of relaxation - savoring the holidays and all those home-cooked meals. It’s always a bit of a slap in the face to get back into the real world, especially when you're coming back to winter quarter.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, winter for college students tends to mean the least amount of fun you’ll have at school each year. The weather gets a little sad, people are less inclined to go out and school gets tougher because people sign up for harder classes.

As a senior at the University of Oregon, I’ve learned that in order to survive winter quarter, you absolutely have to take mental health days.

How do you like to unwind? Personally, I like to come home, brew a cup of tea and read the latest book I got. I guess that’s probably fulfilling every English major stereotype around, but I swear it relaxes me like nothing else. Everyone has a different method to ease their mind, body and soul, but whatever it is, make sure you actually make the time to do it.

There can be a stigma around taking time for yourself, but I’m here to tell you this: it’s bogus. When it comes to college in general, it’s so easy to fall under the stresses and pressures put on us by classes, jobs and extracurricular activities. After all, we’re all just trying to build those killer resumes to become CEOs the second we graduate, right?

The only thing we need to keep in mind is that we may not even make it through college if we don’t take time to care about ourselves on a mental level first.

It’s crucial to make time to love yourself. It doesn’t have to be a whole day, but for even an hour everyday, put the textbook down and do something that makes you feel like you. For some people, that can be going for a five-mile run. For others, that can be binging Law and Order: SVU until you feel like you could join Olivia Benson and the rest of the NYPD on their hunt for the perp. It doesn’t matter how you choose to unwind, but it matters that you take the time to do it.

No one is going to fault you for self-love and self-care. It doesn’t matter if you have to cancel plans or if you need to write that essay you’ve already been procrastinating - no one can blame you for wanting to relax.

Winter term vibes can really bring someone down, so do what you need to do to be successful, happy and healthy on your own terms.

Have a favorite relaxation method? Let us know: @ch_threads