Winter Break Tips: How To Have a Restful and Growth-filled Break

At first, Christmas break comes as a breath of fresh air. After a few months of living on your own and slogging through finals, you might come home to Christmas decorations and home cooking. It feels like the most wonderful time of the year.

But for many, Christmas break eventually takes a rough turn. You may feel like you’re slipping back into old habits and fear that the spiritual growth you experienced at college may be disappearing. You feel lonely and miss the friends you’ve made. Your screen time hours start climbing. But there is hope! This break can be one full of rest, connection, and a growing relationship with Jesus.

So how can you approach this break differently? It begins with considering what you are taking home and creating a plan for what you’ll do.

There are two attitudes we can sometimes default to — things we like to “take home” — that have the potential to hinder our Christmas break.

1. A self-focused heart

One thing that’s sure to ruin a family vacation for me is being really concerned about enjoying the vacation. It can be really hard for me when my hopes or plans are disrupted, but things tend to go a lot better when I roll with the punches.

Similarly, when I would cling too strongly to the needs I felt about going home for a break, this could turn against me. It was very easy for me to think of a break as my time to simply rest from the last semester and gear up for the next. It’s Christmas break after all, right?

Let’s be real: We do need rest! The God who made you knows that you can’t just work constantly and thrive in his world. In the Old Testament, God had regular levels of rest built into the calendar for his people way more often than we tend to rest nowadays. Rest is important!

However, when we spend time focusing only on ourselves, we often miss opportunities for genuine connection with others. Consider what the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-11:

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father”

(New Living Translation).

How can you be a blessing? What might your friends need? lf you’d appreciate something from them — like a phone call — chances are your friends would too. You have a wonderful opportunity to help your friendship deepen.

What might your parents, siblings, or grandparents need? How would those you live with feel if you offer to do some dishes, ask if there are any chores they need help with, or if they might enjoy some company on a trip to the grocery store. These little things can end up being some of our best memories. Plus, (as a parent myself now) I can tell you firsthand how meaningful it is when our children offer help freely!

2. Pride and shame

It can be easy to mistakenly equate having a relationship with Jesus to reading the Bible and praying, as if those things are a gauge of how close God feels to us. But it’s possible to be very faithful in reading the Bible and prayer, yet be very far from God. And many who struggle to spend consistent time in the Bible love Jesus greatly and follow him passionately.

This Christmas break, Jesus invites you to be free of any shame and guilt or pride you are experiencing for not “measuring up” or doing it right. Jesus invites you to experience true freedom and have a relationship with Him, not based on how successful you are in keeping up good habits, but on His love for you.

This doesn’t mean we don’t need to read Scripture or pray, for as you spend time with Jesus, you’ll grow to love his Word and prayer will often feel like talking with a friend. But when we no longer believe the lies of pride and shame from the activity, we’ll experience something better: genuine life change that flows from time spent with God. To learn more about prayer, check out this resource, “How to Pray: A Step-by-Step Introduction.”

Part of what it means to follow Jesus is to love others well. While we certainly need time in solitude with God, serving others can also be an expression of following Jesus during your break. Doing the Christmas dinner dishes can be done “in the name of Jesus” too.

1. Stay connected to friends who understand you

After a few months at college, you may feel like no one — especially not your parents — understands you. Your life at college is different, and you aren’t the same person you were when you left. That can lead to some serious loneliness during break.

Remember, your college friends might feel the same way. Pray for them, and reach out to hear how they are doing. Texting can be great, but a phone call or a video call is usually even more meaningful. Even better, go see them if that’s feasible. If you can find encouragement in the places you’ve been connected to for the past few months, it’ll be easier to love your family well, walk with Jesus, and enjoy the blessings that break brings.

2. Serve your family

Who is the person in your family who usually does the dishes? Most of the time, that person doesn’t do that just because they love it so much. So give them a hand, or even just do it for them! You may feel bored a lot during break and think there’s nothing to do. In my experience, boredom usually starts with thinking primarily (or only) about what we need. Once you look for people to serve, you’ll see there are plenty of ways to contribute meaningfully to the thriving and joy of others.

You can even ask them if there’s something you can do to help. Don’t be too scared of doing this. Yes, if you are like I was during college, you’ll get a stare that says, “Who are you, and what have they done with my child?” But that’s the best kind of stare! This is the kind of transformation that Jesus does: He changes the very kind of people that we are. For family members who don’t know Jesus, often the way we live and treat them is far more impactful for seeing the truth of the gospel than just our words.

3. Make a schedule (and share it with others)

For some of us, breaks seem to fly by. For others, they can feel like an eternity and you can’t wait to get back to college. Either way, every college student has the same 24 hours in a day for those few weeks. Make good use of that time. Different things work for different people, but making yourself a schedule, or even just a list of goals, will go a long way.

For example, what are the things that really give you life, that you want to make sure are a part of your break? Write down how often and when you’d like to do them. Maybe you want to spend some time in the Bible and prayer each morning, followed by some exercise. Or maybe you really want to read that novel every evening, or watch a sitcom with your dad.

Then, think about the things that you think could threaten your break. Old habits, boredom, lack of connection with others, etc. What are the risks? Write those down too, and then talk with a friend or two about how you can minimize the threat those things have. How often will you need to chat with someone who supports your relationship with God?

Finally, share it with your parents. Hold your plans loosely, as they might have some plans already in mind too. But in my experience of mentoring students, letting your parents know about what you hope to experience over break is almost always a good idea. Most parents are not unreasonable; they know you need rest and want you to have it. Both they, and you, can be less frustrated or surprised when your desires are communicated early on.

The Book of Proverbs teaches that a wise person is one who plans and then works, trusting the results to God (Proverbs 16:9, 21:5). Before you begin break, choose what you hope to study in the Bible, how you’ll help around the house, what friends you’ll connect with, and how you will rest. Set daily or weekly goals. You could even get ahead on the classwork or reading that will hit hard once break ends.

4. Rest well

When I don’t plan out my rest, I default to things that feel good in the short term but don’t really help (I really thought that watching all three “Lord of the Rings” movies in one day would feel great). True, healthy rest comes not just from doing nothing, but from intentionally seeking rest in the presence of God.

How do we prepare for rest?

To begin, you might need to chat with some friends about your screen time. Typically, those numbers go way up over breaks without some thought beforehand. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never woken up one morning thinking, “Man, I wish I had spent more time scrolling Instagram last night.” Have a friend help you set up limits that you are comfortable with (and that you can’t override), and you’ll be better set up for a good experience.

Consider trying something that Cru staff members do as a regular part of our work schedule each month: Take a day (or part of a day) to spend some extended time alone to connect with God. Go to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant alone or with a friend. Leave your phone at home (I have recently discovered that I can survive this!). Watch a good movie, go for a hike you enjoy, read a book, or enjoy a restful activity. For more help on how to do this, check out this article: “How to have a daily devotional time with God.”

5. Read a book

Ask your local Cru staff or student leaders for recommendations on books for your break. Or pick up a novel!

Research has shown how helpful it can be to our sleep and our mental health to read a book before bed, rather than using a screen. It calms our minds and helps us care for the bodies God has given us.

It’s totally fine to take a few days (or more) to recover from the reading intensity at the end of the semester, but cultivating a love for a good story in a book can be such a gift.

If you get to the end of your break, and you’re carrying some regrets, congratulations! You’ve passed the test of being a human. God does not need you to make perfect decisions to see and love you. He’s still there, wanting to know you, right where you are as you re-enter a semester. But hopefully, some of these tips can help you reduce those regrets and enjoy your break more. Winter break really is such a gift! I pray you enjoy it.