Everybody knows that time in the semester when you feel like you have already done everything and you’re starting to get burnt out. After weeks of trying to get through endless to-do lists and finding the will to study for exams, it’s all too common for you to find yourself being constantly tired and unmotivated. Well, what if I told you that all you really need to boost that energy up is a little reminder? By reading the title of this article, you probably already know where this is going. And, if you think I’m about to remind you how there are only 2 to 3 weeks left for winter break to begin, you are absolutely right.
Oh, winter break. The time to finally get your life together after surviving another semester. It can also be the time to look forward to while you’re still battling through it. So, here’s a list of things you can do during winter break that you probably can’t do during the semester, to get you hyped up about the season.
- Movie nights/marathons
The smell of freshly made popcorn, a cozy blanket, and fuzzy socks are usually the first things that come to mind when thinking of movie marathons, right? Yes, after months of only being able to watch 1 hour episodes of TV shows every other night, you’ll finally have the time to lay on your bedーor couchーfor hours on end while binge-watching your favorite christmas movies or just catching up on all the shows you haven’t gotten around to enjoying yet. The best part is, you can also invite family and/or friends over and you can all have a good time together.
- Getting to do all the things you had been putting aside during the semester
Now that you actually have some free time, you can start doing all the things you have been putting on hold during the semester. You can continue to practice a hobby of yours, start reading again, take up a drawing challenge or even go on spontaneous road trips around the island. The possibilities are endless!
- Spending time with your loved ones
For many, the best part about finishing the semester is the possibility of spending more time with your family. From being able to spend a full day doing outdoor activities every other weekend to potentially going out every day, chances are that you’ll be able to do everything you want to during the holiday season. That also means having time to visit relatives that you probably don’t see very often.
- Getting to decorate during Christmastime
I cannot begin to explain the feeling that takes over my body when I see that stores have put up Christmas decorations during mid-October. I mean, seeing little sparkly lights all over the store, listening to the faint melody of Christmas carols, and smelling all the different variations of pine-scented candles is simply amazing. It’s a full sensory experience that I wholeheartedly enjoy taking a part in every single year. Decorating for Christmas time is a vital part of the Christmas experience. You get to spend twenty minutes detangling the Christmas lights that have been sitting in your closet while waiting for the gingerbread cookies to bake. You can choose between different sets of ornaments to decorate your tree with. All in all, you can transform your entire house into a tiny winter wonderland.
- The food
Best part about winter break in Puerto Rico? Food. Just the glorious amounts of different and delicious foods we get to eat. Of course, you can eat some of these dishes all throughout the year, but there’s nothing quite like eating a plate filled with pasteles, pernil, arroz con gandules, and ensalada de coditos on the 24th of December while listening to Puerto Rican Christmas songs. Don’t even get me started on the desserts. Flan de queso and arroz con dulce? To die for!
- Getting to relax
Last but not least, here comes one of the main reasons why we love winter break so much. After all that hard work, we finally get to just do nothing. No more worrying about deadlines, tests, quizzes. Nada. We basically just have to keep up with the movie marathons on Freeform and make sure we don’t burn the house down while baking or preparing Christmas dinner.
Having something to look forward to or even setting some goals for yourself is very important to keep motivated during the semester. It’s also essential to remember that you can integrate any of these steps every once in a while all throughout the year. Self care and taking some time out for yourself shouldn’t only be reserved for winter or summer break. It’s an everyday thing. So, don’t forget to be kind to yourself and remember, winter is coming!