Budgeting and end of the semester school work create unwanted stress at the most wonderful time of t

The holiday season is generally a joyful time of the year. When the lights on Loyola's campus go up and Christmas songs dominate the airwaves, you can't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Unfortunately, this time of year is not without its burdens. In addition to the mountain of schoolwork looming over your head, there is the financial stress that tends to go hand in hand with the holidays. Often at this point in the semester students find that their bank accounts have drained more dramatically over the course of the fall semester than they had realized. The holidays can be expensive, with gifts, parties and activities consuming our energy and our funds. As college students we have to maintain a balance that will allow us to survive the end of the semester and also enjoy the Christmas season.

Holiday shopping can be a daunting task, especially when you have no money. While it may be fun to splurge on gifts, we also must remember to prepare for the expenses of next year. You can only get away with giving your whole family Loyola apparel for so long, so this means it's time to get creative. Homemade gifts are always appreciated by parents and grandparents. Whether it be a homemade photo album or scrapbook, or even tickets to a movie to see together, going sentimental will help ease your expenses. As for friends at school and at home, instead of having to buy for everyone, secret Santas or grab bags are good ways to still have fun exchanging without having to spend as much. Another alternative to malls or chain stores is to find smaller, less expensive shops or even websites that sell handmade items, like Etsy or Artfire. These gifts are more unique and often cheaper, as well as less of a hassle since you can avoid the crowds. Thinking outside of the conventional box is the key to saving money while still finding great gifts for loved ones.

As the semester draws to a close, fun Christmas parties and off-campus activities tempt you into abandoning your studies for a night out. For seniors this is even more troubling, since they don't want to miss out on any event that could be their last (it's the second-to-last Thursday of my last fall semester, of course I'm going out). It's hard to keep your holiday spirit in check with impending finals, and focusing too much on one or the other can be damaging. Locking yourself in the library for these next two weeks may seem like the solution to the recent spike in your stress levels, but completely extracting yourself from any holiday celebration will just make you more depressed and probably less productive. On the other hand there is always the risk of overindulgence, which can lead to a disregard for finals and sometimes even regrets that may linger in the New Year. It's hard to find a foolproof solution to this yearly dilemma, and the best way to handle it is to stay organized. Getting things done early will leave you free time to watch Christmas movies or attend an ugly sweater party without feeling guilty.

The reward for staying collected and being productive is a whole month off to relax or even work part-time to replenish your funds. The most important thing is to avoid getting overwhelmed, and make sure papers and exams don't smother your holiday spirit.