Learning through the holidays
You can relax and still engage with learning….here’s how
As we round the corner into the holiday season, I'm hearing two very different refrains from learners:
"I just want to collapse and do NOTHING."
"I should be getting ahead, studying, working on that essay..."
And you know what? Both of these impulses make complete sense. Students are tired. The semester has been a lot. And also, January is coming, and there's that niggling feeling that completely disconnecting might make the return even harder.
But here's what I want to offer: there's a third way.
Not collapse. Not full-throttle. But a kind, humane middle path—a place where learners can do a little bit of work, relaxed. Where you can tend to your learning life without the intensity, the pressure, the grind.
This is about unlearning the idea that academic work has to be all-or-nothing, frantic or absent. It's about discovering what it feels like to engage with your learning life in a way that's alert and calm. A little, but not nothing or everything.
Tidying up
Before we dive into coursework, let's talk about creating order without overwhelm. These tasks are satisfying, finite, and genuinely helpful for your future, January-you:
Organize your digital life:
Sort those desktop screenshot images into folders (you know the ones)
Create a clear file structure for next semester's courses
Declutter your email inbox—unsubscribe, archive, delete
Back up important documents and notes
Organize your physical space:
Gather and organize notes from this past term
Set up a clean workspace for January
Prep your backpack or bag with fresh supplies
Create a visual schedule or planning space
Tend to relationships:
Write thank you notes to teachers, professors, TAs, or mentors who made a difference
Reach out to study buddies or classmates you'd like to stay connected with
Express gratitude to family members or friends who supported you
These tasks aren't "productivity" in the traditional sense. They're acts of care—for leaning into that sense of belonging, for honour relationships, for your learning environment.
Three reflection questions
Now, let's get reflective. Grab a journal, a notes app, or even just talk these through with someone you trust. These three questions can illuminate what's been working, what hasn't, and what you truly want for the semester ahead:
1. What was one moment this term when learning felt good—when you felt capable, engaged, or even joyful?
This isn't about your best grade or biggest achievement. It's about a moment when the process of learning felt right. Maybe it was finally understanding a concept, a study session that wasn’t procrastinated or distracted, having a great discussion, a work session in flow, or feeling prepared for something. What conditions made that moment possible?
2. What's one pattern or habit from this past term that you're ready to release?
No judgment here. Maybe it's late-night cramming, skipping breakfast, avoiding office hours, or that voice in your head that says you're not good enough. Name it. Acknowledge it. And consider, what might you try differently to support a shift?
3. If you could describe your ideal learning experience next semester in three words, what would they be?
Examples: Calm, consistent, curious. Balanced, brave, supported. Rested, prepared, confident. Your three words become your compass, your touchstone for decisions and priorities in the months ahead.
Keep things low-stakes
Here's something fascinating about how our brains work: when we learn something and then completely step away from it, we lose a significant amount of that information within days. It's called the forgetting curve, and it's one variable as to why January can feel so jarring—like you're starting from scratch.
But here's the beautiful part: even brief, relaxed re-engagement with material can dramatically slow that forgetting. We're not talking about intense study sessions. We're talking about gentle, curious revisiting.
What if you had three learning sessions over the holidays that were:
20-30 minutes each (not hours!)
Spread across the break (maybe one in late December, one mid-break, one just before January)
Relaxed and light (maybe with tea, good lighting, soft music)
Focused on reviewing or previewing (not producing or performing)
What it might look like
Session 1: The Review (Late December)
Flip through your notes from a course that continues next term
Read over comments from your professor on a past assignment
Do a few practice problems or review flashcards—just to touch the material
Notice what you remember, what feels fuzzy, what surprises you
Session 2: The Preview (Mid-Break)
Skim the syllabus or course outline for next semester
Read the first chapter or article for an upcoming course
Watch an introductory video or lecture
Let yourself be curious, not pressured
Session 3: The Re-entry (Just Before January)
Set up your planner or calendar for the first two weeks
Review your three words from the reflection questions
Do another brief content review—retrieval practice, practice questions
Remind yourself, “I'm not starting from zero, I'm continuing; I’m picking up the threads.”
The magic here isn't in the intensity, it's in the consistency, the gentleness, the refusal to believe that learning has to hurt, exhaust, or deplete to count.
Giving yourself permission
Give yourself permission to…
Rest without guilt
Work without intensity
Say no to plans that drain you
Say yes to small acts of preparation that feel good
Change your mind about how much you engage
Trust that you know what you need
This is your break. You get to decide what balance feels right. And whatever you choose—full rest, gentle engagement, or something in between—you're doing it right.
