Maybe your family goes on a really cool vacation every winter break. Maybe you have a lot of friends so you go to some bangin’ Christmas and NYE parties. Maybe you just really, really, really enjoy spending time with your dog at home. However, if you’re anything like me, the almost-month-long winter break inevitably starts to get old about halfway through. Christmas is over, the cold is biting and the skies are dreary. The arguments with your siblings and parents start to pick back up as if you had never left for school! Here’s some tips to help with the unavoidable mid-winter-break slump.
1. Go ice skating
Get your butt off your old childhood bed and sign out of Netflix. It’s proven that exercise raises endorphins and generally makes your body feel better, mentally and physically. Find a few friends and head to the nearest ice skating rink, whether it be indoor or outdoor. Yeah, there will be a lot of children, and yeah, you’ll probably fall over a lot, but it’s a fun and social way to be active during winter break. It’s the perfect solution for getting out of that December funk. Plus, it totally beats the treadmill any day.
2. Drink. A lot.
Did you think this whole list was going to be full of healthy options?
I don’t mean that you should go totally out of control, but a good social drinking fest with some of your best friends from home can be a lot of fun. This is especially true if you don’t get to see them often. You’d be surprised at what winter shenanigans you can get yourself into with some leftover holiday party eggnog. If nothing else, it will provide you with a long night of giggles and entertainment when you’re snowed in (or sunned in, if you’re from a warm climate state. I envy you people).
3. Head into the city
Depending on where you live, this could mean a variety of different choices of places to go, meaning endless fun. I live about an hour from Chicago, so when my family really starts to nag me, I hop on a train with my best friend and we take over the Windy City for the day. This provides me with a nice break from the cabin fever that inevitably starts to set in when I’m locked indoors for too long. We like to window shop and look at all the lights adorning the skyscrapers. If you check your local big city’s website, oftentimes there will be a lot of cool holiday festivals occurring that you can also check out.
4. Start preparing for next semester’s classes
Just kidding. No.
5. Plan a trip to visit friends who don’t live nearby anymore
Many of our hometown friends still come home. However, we are at the age where some of our friends choose to stay behind at school rather than come back to their old stomping grounds. This may be due to their work schedule or personal preference. Adulting has some drawbacks! This can be sad if you were looking forward to seeing an old friend, but it doesn’t have to be a disappointment. Make a trip to visit them and spend some time where they live (as long as the weather permits and you are able to transport safely!) Lengthy school breaks are the perfect time to do so. I visited my friend at IU for one week during summer break last year, and it is now one of my fondest memories! Each city has a different culture, and this gets you out of the house and shows you another way of life.