Whether your fall semester was stressful or a breeze, everyone looks forward to winter break. It’s a great time to rest, recoup, and get ready for the upcoming year. Since it’s such a long chunk of time off from school, how can you make sure you’re really taking advantage of all that time off? Here’s a list of suggestions on how to make the most of your winter break.
I know, you’ve spent all semester reading stuff that was assigned to you, stuff that was boring and dry. I’ve totally been there. But there’s a huge difference between reading for school and reading for pleasure. Now that you’re on winter break, you have no assignments, so you can read whatever you want!
I suggest taking advantage of this and find a book that actually interests you. Learn to enjoy reading again. It can be really rewarding and you know what they say: reading makes you smarter. Plus, the colder temps and lots of free time means you can fly through all the books you want!
Let’s be honest, while you were ignoring that assigned reading, you were probably watching Netflix on your laptop instead. But for those who might’ve had such a crazy semester that you didn’t even have time for Netflix, then consider this winter break your chance to catch up on shows you love. Same goes for movies, too. Take a trip to the theater, see whatever’s big around the holiday season, make it a fun event with your family or friends.
Speaking of friends, winter break is the perfect time to catch up with your old friends from high school. Okay, so maybe you don’t talk to anyone from high school anymore. I totally get it. But if you do still chat with the people you were friends with in high school, take advantage of being in the same place at the same time!
Not only will it be nice to get caught up on each other’s lives (through a lens outside of social media), it’ll also be cool to hear about how things are done at different universities. Aren’t you totally curious about that one school you could’ve gone to but didn’t?
After the holidays, a month at home might feel like a long time to be surrounded by your family, especially once you’ve experienced living at college without them. But before you start avoiding them, remember that you’ll be back in school in no time, away from them once again. Take advantage of your time with them and hang out!
Whether you’re close with your family or not, it might be nice to take the time to share your daily life at university with them. And don’t forget that it goes both ways: while you’ve been away at school, their lives have carried on at home. Ask them how things have been! You might be surprised by what they share.
If you find joy in expressing yourself through writing, then being at home for winter break is a great time and place to take a minute and do some writing. You could write fiction or nonfiction. You could reflect on the semester you’ve had. The good, the bad, and the ugly. See how you’ve grown in the last couple of months, and consider how you might continue to grow in the new year.
Even if your personal writing never sees the light of day, you might be surprised how easy it can be to express yourself through writing. And it will make for a great New Year’s resolution.
I had a job in my hometown that I would return to seasonally during college. It was a great way to get out of the house and make a little money on the side. If you had a job during high school, reach out to your manager and see if you can pick up some extra hours. Usually they’re more than happy to have you back! Or you could reach out to families you used to babysit for, folks with dogs you used to walk, anything that can get you some easy spending money.
You grew up there, so you’ve probably seen and done everything there is to do, especially if you’re from a small town. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, and you might find, upon returning home for winter break, that things in your hometown have changed while you were away at school.
Consider this break the perfect opportunity to become a tourist in your own hometown. Rediscover some of its charms, like the local library or park. Go to that cafe or restaurant you drove by nearly every day for years but never went inside.
Ever heard of Marie Kondo? While you’re away at school, your room is probably used as storage. Or, if you’re like me, a younger sibling got it the day after you moved out (thanks Mom and Dad). So there’s likely a ton of crap in your room at home. A good way to get a fresh start for the semester and for the next time you’re home is to go through the clothes in your room and decide which you’ll keep and which you’ll give away.
On a similar note, you likely now have a backpack full of random papers and notes from throughout the semester. My advice would be to get rid of it now. Yes, all of it. I know what you’re thinking: but I might need this for reference in the future. Honestly, you probably won’t. I certainly never did. And your collection will just grow and grow in the coming semesters. So bite the bullet now and recycle that paper!
Winter break can be really fun, but it can also be kinda boring, considering you’re away from the responsibilities of school. Make the most of your time off and the people around you – it’ll be over before you know it! On that note…
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