It’s been an exhausting semester so far. We’ve been through a pandemic, seemingly countless hurricanes, and all sorts of stress and turmoil. Needless to say, most of us—students, faculty, and everyone else in the Loyola community—are having a rough time.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with everything that’s going on. It’s easy to feel like the work never stops, especially now that all of our schoolwork is online, not to mention a great deal of work outside of school. We all have a million things to do, and so little time in which to do them. Many, if not most, of us are sacrificing our own well-being for the sake of productivity.

That’s not sustainable.

Over winter break, take time for your mental health. There’s no doubt that we will all still have a lot going on over break. That’s why it’s important to set aside time to take care of yourself.

So turn off your phone for a bit. Go for a walk. Read a book. Take a nap. Breathe.

The work will still be there next semester. Let it be, and let yourself recharge.

At the same time, however, it’s equally important not to let yourself feel isolated. This winter break is going to look different from most in many ways. You likely won’t see as much of your friends and family as you normally would over the holidays, at least not in person. Try to stay in touch with them.

We’re also going to be away from Loyola for a lot longer than we usually would for winter break. After in-person classes end at Thanksgiving, they won’t resume for almost two months. Stay in touch with your friends at Loyola. You’ll be better off for it.

This whole semester—really, this whole year—has felt like an endless stream of chaos and stress. It’s wearing on all of us. We won’t get a break all next semester, so take advantage of the one we do have. Take care of yourself. It’s important.