I know you haven’t heard much from me the past couple weeks, but you shouldn’t take it personally. It is finals time, so there is school stress. It is application time to new sites, so there is practicum stress. It is holidays and everyone wants to take vacations so there is work stress. And of course, because nothing is ever easy, someone in my house has decided to move out at the last minute, so there is life stress. Are we sensing a common theme here?
To avoid a complete mental breakdown, I’ve been trying really hard to get out and have fun. Some could call it procrastination, some may call it avoidance, but I like to call it “self-care.” 
Since you heard from me last, I have baked three batches of cookies and a birthday cake. I went to two holiday parties, a cookie competition, and saw a Christmas lights display. I tried two new donut shops, went Christmas shopping, and got my first pair of eye glasses. And yesterday, I went to a de-stress get-together with some friends from school, gossiped, ate pizza and whined about finals. Although these fun activities have taken up lots of time and been in the way of writing papers and studying, they have also maintained my sanity, which as a budding psychologist, I would like to argue is more important.
It’s finals time, no one feels like reading anymore. So I thought I’d just include some fun pictures of my last few weeks instead.
Donuts #1: Demet’s Donuts in Medford, MA
Cookie #1: Coconut Macaroons w/ Dried Cranberries
Holiday Party #1: Dapper/Burlesque Hanukkah Party with old housemates
Cookies #2: Nutella Melting Snowmen Cookies
Cookie #3: Coconut Macaroons with Colored Cherries
Winning my practicum’s cookie competition with the Nutella Melting Snowmen Cookies
The 2012-2013 LHI Brockton Interns from MSPP at the LHI holiday party
Donuts #2: Supreme Donuts and Coffee in Brockton, MA
Light display at La Salette Shrine in Attelboro, MA
Cake and de-stress day! Gingerbread cake with vanilla glaze and crushed peppermint candy pieces
Good luck to those of you finishing your finals! We are almost there! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.
