No Stress December

How do you feel when the year is going to its end, but you still have lots of work to do before deadline?

Our last Youth English-speaking session turned into a warm and thoughtful space where our teens from Kherson and Mariupol and explored what it means to stay calm, balanced, and positive during one of the busiest months of the year.

We began with a light but meaningful activity — “Finish the Sentence About December.”

Participants shared honest thoughts on given sentences. This simple task opened the door for everyone to use our new target vocabulary such as overwhelmed, burnt out, unwind, take a breather, and boost my mood.

Then we moved to “What Would You Do?”, a set of real-life December scenarios.

Students discussed situations like overloaded schedules, social expectations, last-minute tasks, or supporting a friend who feels drained — and they practiced giving calm, practical advice using phrases like set boundaries, stay grounded, reset my mindset, and prioritize myself.

Our final activity — “No Stress December Plan” — brought out so much creativity. Everyone designed a mini action plan featuring: three stress triggers and solutions; mood-boosting ideas; a realistic social media rule.

It was inspiring to see how confidently everyone used the target vocabulary to build healthy, mindful December habits.

Thank you to all our participants for being open, supportive, and full of positive energy.

Let’s keep this mindset and make December not just busy — but meaningful and stress-free.