[CHAT] Holiday boredom. It's a thing??
We’ve all experienced it at some point in our school lives. We get on the home stretch for the year and absolutely crave being on holidays. Next thing we know, we’ve been on holidays for five weeks and have achieved absolutely nothing. Sound familiar? Yep, thought so. You’re experiencing holiday boredom!
It’s understandable too. The summer holidays are really long. For years 11s, 12s and uni students, holidays started over a month ago. The holidays are also often spent with the people you live with working part or full time.
For me, the boredom really sets in after New Years. I work in retail, so December is always very busy and my hours triple. In about the second week of January, I notice that I tend to be a bit lazy. I wake up later than usual, I mope around watching tv, eating whatever and whenever I feel like. Sure, this can be great for a day or two, but after a while you start to think ‘I am really wasting my time.’ Because before you know it, school or uni starts again, and you feel like those three months were a missed opportunity. Don't get me wrong though - doing nothing can be a great use of time if you're purposeful and mindful about it.
I remember the end of year 6 and end of year 7 holidays were actually not good for me. I was incredibly bored and in turn felt really low. I overate, didn’t exercise and spent all day every day on the internet. I basically wasted all my time, just waiting for the next school year to start. My Dad ended up taking me on a trip to Melbourne near the end of one of the holidays, just so that I had done something during the 10 week period.
I know that myself and my friends sometimes go through phases during the long summer holidays. One summer holidays I got really into photography and editing, another I got into running and getting super fit. I think it’s really great when this happens. To actually find an interest during the holidays gives you purpose, which gives you motivation to get up and do things!
The summer holidays are a wonderful time to explore our interests and have fun, let’s not waste this precious time by being bored! Join us on December 15th from 8pm to talk about how we can combat holiday boredom, and really make the most of our free time.
I think I'm lucky I haven't jumped on the twitter/instagram/vine/anything else bandwagon @delicatedreamer
Or else I would ALWAYS be bored!
Okey dokey, next question guys!
How do you know when you’re starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you’re not bored next minute you are?
How do you know when you’re starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you’re not bored next minute you are?
Starting to lose interest in what I'm doing or what's happening, feeling fidgety & frustrated. And then starting to feel down.
This is slightly off-topic, but maybe social media has a role in boredom? I know a lot of the time I'm at home, on Facebook, and there are all these images of people I know going out for a drink or for coffee or whatever, and I guess sometimes I start thinking why am I not doing what they're doing?
How do you know when you’re starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you’re not bored next minute you are?
I usually get bored when I have something to do, but I refuse to do it and instead mope around the house saying how bored I am.
I think you're onto something @kittycat23
I get bored on Facebook if nothing much is going on. I've actually been trying to cut down my Facebook time so that I'm not constantly staring aimlessly at a screen
Surfing the net, cleaning, go for a walk or a drive, go shopping etc...
I agree @Randomness
I do exactly the same thing. Just mindlessly scroll through my newsfeed. Occasionally paying attention to something that catches my eye
@j95
Yep, I also do that too! I'll avoid doing something and then be bored because I'm not doing anything because I'm avoiding what I' meant to be doing! A vicious cycle...
I think there can be a number of signs and it's different for different people. I think a big one for me is that my mind starts to wander away from the task I'm doing and I don't feel like I'm enjoying it anymore or am thinking of other things I could be doing.
I might start to get restless and fidgety if I'm really bored, depending on what I am doing.
Welcome to the chat @Randomness 🙂
I love your avatar by the way!
I definitely agree with you - I often find myself feeling really restless when I'm bored. And that makes me feel agitated and grumpy. The pieces are slowly falling into place!
good point its different for different people !!!
How do you know when you're starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you're not bored, the next minute you are?
I think it definitely just hits me sometimes. I'll be watching a TV show and I'll think 'I'm too bored to even finish this' I won't be at all interested in what I'm watching. And I would rather sleep than continue to. (Not great for the mental health!)
Often if I wake up during the holidays without planning to do at least one thing that day, then I'll be bored. I try and space out seeing friends and having appointments, so that I have to get up, shower, get to wherever I need to be almost every day
How do you know when you're starting to get bored? Or is it one minute you're not bored, the next minute you are?
I think even though we often think of boredom as a mental thing, there are also physical and emotional ways your body responds. If I feel tired and lack motivation or feel negative about a lot of things even though I haven't done much, I know I'm bored.
Why don’t people like to be bored? Some people find it really hard to deal with boredom
We've covered it a bit already - but boredom for extended amounts of time can make you feel really crappy. You often lack motivation, interest, inspiration and creativity. It can be good to give yourself a rest, but bad when it is ongoing and draining
i guess the extreme end of boredom would be awful... you know months and months and months of not doing anything that makes you feel even a lil bit good
Yeah definitely @EloiseRose
I've certainly been trapped like that before during school holidays, and it really isn't fun. You know you're bored on school holidays when you're craving to go back to school - just so you have a routine and something to do!
routine is something that hasn't been mentioned yet!!!
Rountine can combat boredom or at least safe guards it
I agree @Student94
I think it can definitely affect your self confidence, especially once you leave school I think! Whilst you're in school all of your friends are kind of in the same boat as you are!
Yeah I agree that being "bored" is often mistaken as being "lazy." You have to really consider why you are taking time off and be kind to yourself.
Definitely @Student94
Self care is so crucial to your mental and physical health
