As the holiday season approaches, many find themselves feeling more stressed than festive. From the pressure of finding the perfect gifts to the demands of attending family gatherings, the holiday rush can take a toll on mental health. The holiday season is meant to be full of joy, but it can also be a heightened time of anxiety, financial decline and exhaustion.

For many college students, the holidays can be a double-edged sword. While it promises a break from classes and a chance to reconnect with family and friends, it also brings its own set of challenges. 

Mason Bradley, a freshman digital media production major, said he is affected by seasonal stress but has techniques to help manage it.

“My stress levels definitely increase during the holidays and prime seasonal depression months,” he said. “I usually cope with it by finding something relaxing and soothing to do, and I only relax after making sure all my work is done.”

Alyssa Thalacker, a sophomore environmental studies major, discussed a different yet effective way of managing the pressure of the season. 

“I try my best to cope by watching shows and YouTube videos, talking to the people that support me, like my roommate and mom, and making sure to get out of my room as much as I can,” Thalacker said. 

Students are not the only ones who feel stress around the holidays. Business owners face a unique set of challenges. From managing increased customer demand to holiday staffing shortages, many owners end up juggling multiple responsibilities. For small businesses especially, the pressure to stay profitable while maintaining a work-life balance can become overwhelming. 

Jared Abell, owner of Hippie Fox Rocks, talked about the challenges he faces as a business owner during the holiday season.

“The hard thing that we’re up against right now is how can we make things better,” Abell said. “Amazon Prime will have promotions, and we will have Small Business Saturday, but they do a whole Black Friday sale that we cannot do. Then what happens is, there aren’t a lot of people who say, ‘I want to go and patronize a small business.’”

Abell also shared how small businesses handle promotions around the holiday season.

“Promotions put a lot of pressure on small retailers because if you’re a big box retailer, their margins are way higher than ours, and they are going to do those deep discounts,” he said. “You know, you see the 40 to 50 percent off type stuff, and small businesses can’t do that.”

These financial problems are not only a problem for small businesses, but also college students. Managing a strong financial status while being a student is a struggle for many.

“I do experience more stress during the holiday season because I am worried about gift giving for all of my loved ones,” Bradley said. “If I’m not in a good financial situation, then I become disappointed in myself, if I can’t get all the gifts I want to give my friends and family.”

In order to manage some of this financial stress, preparing for the cost of inventory, sales and increased staffing is crucial for small business owners.

“A lot of it’s with staffing,” Abell said “We make sure that the hours that we know are going to be busy, we double up. We’re also going to make sure we have all the things in stock, like bags, receipt tape — all that stuff you gotta make sure is all there.”

Another huge societal pressure for all people during this season is attending holiday events and festivities. However, this can be a challenge for students who live far from home or are just too busy.

“I’ve always felt societal pressure to attend holiday functions, and I’m even actively ridiculed for not having many holiday events that I attend myself,” Thalacker said. 

Abell suggested that not only business owners, but college students, should try to just sit back and enjoy the holidays.

“If you’re overwhelmed, I would honestly say lean in real hard on trying to enjoy the holidays, because you’re right there on the front line if you’re a retailer during the holidays,” Abell said. “Just lean in on that fun energy and, yes, it is stressful, there’s no doubt, but try to have fun with it.”

Savannah Carroll is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].