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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IU chapter.

Ah winter break is finally here. The much-dreaded and anticipated finals are over and it’s now time to return home for some needed rest and relaxation. With most of us having a month off of school, there is certainly a lot of time to do the things we were unable to do while we were away. Here is a winter break bucket list for some things you should definitely do to make your month off worthwhile:

1. First and foremost, catch up on some much-needed sleep. With the passing of finals we are sure to be quite sleep deprived. Make sleep a time priority when you get home so you can have energy and enough rest to start your break. Plus, you get to sleep in your own bed!

2. Spend some quality time with your family by giving them your undivided attention. Not only is being away at college a big change for you, but it’s also a big change for them as well and, chances are, they missed you the most.

3. Grab food at your favorite, regional fastfood restaurant. Whether it be Portillo’s, In-N-Out or Shake Shack, it is necessary to indulge in those guilty pleasures that you were deprived of at school.  

4. Catch up with an old friend from high school. Yeah, the last four months have been great for branching out and forming new friendships, but it’s nice to come home and catch up with your old friends. It’s fun and interesting to hear about everyone’s different experiences at their respective schools.

5. Visit your teachers from high school. They would absolutely love to hear how you’re doing and, after your first semester, you are likely to realize how important they were to you and how much you actually learned from them.

6. Fill your calendar with holiday activities. In the midst of the holiday season, it’s always fun to set the mood and get in the spirit with some winter activities. Whether it be ice-skating, Christmas light-viewing or gingerbread house-making, getting in the holiday spirit is a must!

7. Curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and watch some Christmas classics. ABC Family makes it easy by providing its annual “25 days of Christmas” movie marathon. 

8. SHOP! After a long semester without your parents and possibly without a job, you are definitely in need of some retail exposure. Despite who you’re shopping for, if you’re in the majority of college students’ financial situations, it’s best to bring along your mom or dad.

9. Hit the gym. While it may not be an ideal activity for some, getting to the gym and burning off some of those extra college pounds is sure to make you feel better about yourself.

10. De-stress and do not think about your classes for next semester. You are on break, thus take a break from thinking about school.

International Studies student at American University.