By Glenda Hua (24A01C)
We can all agree that plane rides are either the most exciting or most depressing experiences. The former are flights to our vacation destination–when we leave our mundane day-to-day lives behind for a blissful getaway. The latter are the flights returning home, signalling an end to our days in paradise and a return to the world of school, work and having to make our own breakfast.
This abrupt decline in the quality of life is certainly something many people need to adjust to. We find ourselves feeling tired, lethargic, and oddly mopey during the first couple of days (or weeks) back home. In fact, this experience is so common that there is a term coined for it–Post-Vacation Blues.
Understanding “Post-Vacation Blues”
Post-vacation (or post-holiday) blues refers to the mopey state people may experience after returning from vacation.
Common symptoms may include a sudden lack of interest in things one used to enjoy, constant boredom, vexation, fatigue (though this may be due to jet lag, if one had travelled to a country within a different time zone). Don’t forget the loss of appetite, increased tendencies of spacing out (or, as one would call it, daydreaming), overall dissatisfaction with life, and a burning desire to be somewhere else.
It may sound serious– but not to worry. This depressive feeling may feel all-consuming right now, but it will go away (source: holiday lovers who greet these blues like an old friend). You will bounce back eventually! You will love your everyday, run-of-the-mill life again (well, as much as you used to love it, anyways). And you’re already one step into the journey of recovery by reading this article.
But first, it is crucial to understand why we feel so upset after a vacation. Vacations are known to be relaxing and enjoyable; that’s why we take them! It’s a time when you can forget all your worries and woes, and just bask in the sunshine of all things beautiful.
The downside is that this period of perfect paradise tends to throw humdrum normal life into stark contrast. You never realised just how annoying it is to have your alarm blaring at the crack of dawn; not until you’ve spent a week rising naturally from your deep slumber to chirping birds. And suddenly, every nuisance, every inconvenience–that felt minor before–begins to creep up. You’ve never loathed your life more.
So, what should you do about Post-Vacation Blues?
Coping Methods
Here are six simple tips, tried and tested by many Post-Vacation Blues sufferers, that will help you overcome, or at least alleviate, your symptoms and sufferings.
#1 Fix Your Sleep Schedule
The key to emotional well-being actually starts in the physical realm. You may be feeling exhausted after the holidays not because of some profound, metaphysical reason, but simply because you haven’t gotten enough sleep!
It’s no wonder why; most of us use the holidays to catch up on sleep. So as a result, by the end of the week our internal clocks are turned upside down–going to bed late at night and waking up far past noon. By the time school rolls over, we’re up and running on only three to four hours of sleep. This is especially so for those who travel to places in vastly different time zones than Singapore.
So, do yourself a favour and go to bed early tonight, don’t sleep in too long during the weekends, and ensure you get at least six hours of sleep every day. After all, a good laugh and a good night’s rest are the best fool-proof cures in the doctor’s book.
#2 Look Through Photographs and Reminisce
When reality fails us, we rely on the next best thing available–our imagination. While you may not be physically at Disneyland anymore, no one is stopping your mind from wandering there!
They say photographs can transport you to different places, so scroll through your holiday album and relive those much-treasured experiences again. Bonus points if you have songs you listened to during the holidays, or a new perfume scent you used.They too are vessels containing memories from that period of time which can activate your senses.
Although we can’t live in the past forever, a healthy dose of reminiscing is a good way to ease those Post-Vacation Blues if we’re not quite ready to let go of those comfortable days and face the harsh realities of life just yet.
#3 Start Planning Your Next Vacation and Start a Countdown
Life is always much more enjoyable when you have something to look forward to. Some could even argue that the run-up to the holidays is even more exciting than the actual holiday itself–you can imagine and plan all the fun things you’re going to do without the stresses of actually going through with it.
Now, when is the appropriate time to start planning your next vacation? When this one is over, of course!
It’s always said that the end of one chapter is the start of another; while the March Holidays may have gone by already, you’re now one step closer to the June Holidays. Whether it’ll be visiting new places, meeting up with old friends or trying out a new hobby, the possibilities of fun are endless–and so are the number of things to anticipate. Hanging up a physical calendar and ticking off each day as they pass can also serve as a visual reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel.
#4 Ease Back Into Your Daily Routine
Now that you really are back in your own classroom, surrounded by familiar faces and semi-familiar assignments, perhaps it’s time to finally accept that reality has officially kicked in again. Continuously comparing your life during vacation and your life now is just going to make the latter seem worse.
So, instead of continuing to “dwell on dreams and forget to live” (in Albus Dumbledore’s words), return to daily life with your recharged, rejuvenated self and make the most of it. Catch up with friends and on unwatched lectures, and keep yourself busy such that you wouldn’t have too much time to wallow in the past few days. And then you’d be back in your usual groove in no time.
#5 Take Solace in Knowing That the Worse Your PVB is, the Better Vacation You Had
Ever heard of inverse relationships? It’s when one value decreases as another increases. This is the relationship between your Vacation Quality and Post-Vacation Blues.
If you had a mediocre, boring holiday, you probably don’t mind it ending so much – you might be looking forward to that, even. However, if you had just experienced a five-star, and utterly exquisite holiday, chances are that everyday life is going to feel unbearably mundane in comparison. So if you’re experiencing the latter case, at least you can take your Post-Vacation Blues as proof of what a good time you had.
#6 Look For Tips to Help
It’s always a good idea to enlist external advice rather than let yourself go down the rabbit hole, because sometimes we can’t effectively help ourselves without understanding what we’re experiencing first. Don’t forget that while you may no longer have double-digit sleeping hours, breakfast in bed or unlimited free time during post-vacation life, you still have family and friends who are here to support you amidst your Post-Vacation Blues.
Final Thoughts
Post Vacation Blues is a perfectly normal and widespread experience–here’s nothing to be worried or ashamed about. However, it would be beneficial to learn how to overcome it, so that you can fully enjoy your holidays and not have to dread the inevitable return to daily life.