CSI Community Embraces Holiday Traditions Amid Stressful Semester

New York, NY – As the holiday season approaches, members of the College of Staten Island (CSI) community are preparing to embrace traditions that make this time of year meaningful. With students finishing final papers and faculty wrapping up coursework, many are turning their attention to rituals and celebrations that help them transition into the holidays.

Spanish professor Yasmin Garves reflects on her childhood, which revolved around family gatherings and the excitement of Christmas. “Christmas was the time where for us kids, it was like the time where you were going to receive gift,” said Garves. “And it was a time where we will come together. My grandmother is the person who kept the tradition alive.”

For Garves, the holidays signify more than just gifts; they represent a coming together of family, echoing a rhythm of unity from her upbringing. This sentiment resonates across CSI, as students, faculty, and staff share their own holiday traditions. Despite a busy semester’s end, familiar routines like decorating and cooking serve as comfort during stressful times.

Academic advisor Tara Lao highlights the importance of family time during the holidays. “Just having that quality family time together where everyone’s just in the spirit and enjoying each other’s company,” said Lao. “And of course, spending time with my nieces and nephews as well.”

Lao believes these shared moments revive her energy after a hectic semester, allowing her family to reconnect around their traditions. Sophomore Tiana Diaz also looks forward to this time of year. Her family has a tradition of collecting meaningful ornaments, with each ornament representing a family member. “We used to have a tradition where we would get one ornament for our Christmas tree,” said Diaz.

As they gather these ornaments, Diaz values the memories and stories each one holds, serving as a visual reminder of the people who shape her family. As the academic year winds down, CSI students and faculty engage in discussions about travel plans, end-of-semester gatherings, and the importance of taking breaks before finals.

While the holidays mean different things to different individuals, an air of anticipation fills the CSI community. Many find these traditions even more vital now, as college life continues to demand more of their time and energy. Rituals such as decorating trees, attending religious services, or exchanging gifts provide continuity from one year to the next.

Garves encapsulates the essence of the holidays: “It’s being unity. It’s being family and those beautiful memories of people that are no longer with us.”