As Campolindo students progress into their 1st “real” finals season since December 2019, it is evident that most of us are facing an unprecedented amount of stress during the time of year when we should be preparing to spend more time with family and loved ones rather than cramming for final exams.

While creating your Christmas lists, studying, and calculating what you’ll need on your finals to get the grade you desire may be all that’s on your mind, I urge you all not to forget the true nature of the holiday season: giving back.

Whether that may be in the form of helping your elderly neighbors take in their groceries, doing some volunteer work at the Contra Costa Food Bank, or donating to 1 of the many drives being hosted at Campo at the moment (the canned food drive and the girl’s basketball shoe drive, just to name a couple), the joy you get from helping others out may give you that push you need to make it to winter break.

According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering and giving back also come with certain health benefits. They can both reduce stress and increase “positive” feelings through the releasement of dopamine. I’m feeling that we could all use a bit more dopamine at the moment, given our current stress levels. I can certainly attest to the fact that volunteering and giving back has reduced my stress levels (even by just a little bit), and simply donating the few stray dollars I had to the canned food drive 1 day this week has definitely started to put me more in the holiday spirit.

Still, thinking more about others doesn’t mean you should neglect yourself during this trying season. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that many of us do just that. Instead of opting for all-nighters studying or driving yourself crazy trying to find the perfect gift for a loved one, try learning to give back to yourself by indulging in a bit of self-care every day. Trust me, after a hectic year like this one we’ve had, we all definitely need it.

With that being said, The Claw family wishes you all good luck on your finals. Happy holidays!