Editor’s Note: The following column was submitted by Megan Bradford, a senior public relations major with a minor in marketing.

Finals are approaching. Deadlines are creeping in and we have our sights set on one thing: finishing out the semester.  With school consuming our time, thoughts and energy, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When finals conclude, some will be leaving campus for good (hello, graduation!), some will stick around to work but most will head home. For some students, this could be the first time going home since arriving at school. For others, they may go regularly. Whatever your timing is, I am here to tell you to take advantage of that time. If you have all of the break or only a few days, make the most of your time! For me, break is a time to be with the ones I love the most and, personally, I try to make the most of every moment I have. So, I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the time you have.

I understand not everyone has the ability to take the whole break off from work or school, but it is important you do what you can. With mental health being so important in our world today, I urge you to take the time you need for yourself and for your well-being. Binge-watch that show you’ve been wanting to, sleep in until noon, eat not only one, but two cookies — do whatever your heart desires. If a relative asks you to spend the day running errands, go with them! You never know when you will have that opportunity again and what memories you could make while along.

Clean out your closet, go to the gym, see old friends and set goals. Go bake with your grandparents, make time to see them as they won’t be around forever. Help your parents out around the house, read that book you’ve been putting off all semester, get your nails done, spend your time doing what you want. Volunteer, take time to give back to your community. Fresh snow on the ground? Go skiing or take a hike outside to burn off those extra holiday treats. Fresh air and exercise do wonders for the body and mind!

If you’re more of the “go-getter” type, here are a few things you can work on over winter break: update your resume, create a LinkedIn profile, reach out to old employers to confirm you have their permission to use them as a reference and do research on possible internships for upcoming months. Try to sell some of your old textbooks (every dollar counts!) and look for scholarships with deadlines approaching. All of these will help you prepare for your future and it’s never too early to get a start on schoolwork. There is no better time than the present.

By maximizing your time over break, you will return to school in January feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new semester. If your time over break must be used to work on schoolwork, make sure you still take the time you need for yourself to decompress. I promise it will make all of the difference!