1. Annoy the Home Owners Association by parking your car on the street

Sorry, I’m inconveniencing your daily commute by coming home from school to spend time with my FAMILY.

2. Walk around and check out the light displays in your neighborhood

Or drive around and listen to your dad commentate on how lazy people are getting with the whole lights thing as the years go by. Keep your eye out for these fancy projected ones: they seem to be all the rage.

3. Go to Target

If you're lucky enough to come back from school with a little cash, you can hit up the dollar section, but if not it’s always nice to spend an afternoon admiring all the cute home décor you don’t need while simultaneously people watching.

4. Place bets on how many new Starbucks have popped up while you were away, then drive around to find out who’s the closest

The answer is at least 2.

5. Meet up with old friends at one of the 17 new Starbucks locations

At least you don’t have to go to that one right across from your high school anymore, right?

6. Contemplate the necessity of getting a job for three weeks

There are many factors to consider while deciding whether or not to apply for seasonal jobs or work at your old place of employment (if you go to school out of state) including, “Can I keep up with the amount of coffee drinking I did during finals week by running off the K-cups my parents buy?”

7. Resort to babysitting gigs as a means of income

Because you need that extra time in your day to catch up on Gilmore Girls so you can finally be on the same season as your friends.

8. Make those fancy burlap wreaths for your front door that are taking suburbia by wildfire

If you’re the crafty type, handmade gifts are the best. Plus, if you get really good at it ,you can sell them to all the soccer moms in your area. And it’s easy to kill a solid two hours when you get lost in Hobby Lobby looking for supplies.

9. Convince yourself that you need to start working out

Is everyone in this town really so athletic or are they just wearing workout clothes everywhere to go along with the fabletics trend? Where are all the too-stressed-to-hit-the-gym college students I’ve gotten so used to? Have I gained weight yet again this semester?

10. End up skipping the gym because you realize that most middle-aged women here are more in shape than you are

I would argue that avoiding humiliation is a valid excuse to skip the gym this break. Along with the fact that I’m already too busy drowning myself in hot chocolate.

11. Do nothing with people you love

Okay, making a slightly cheesy addition. Since the suburbs are, in fact, moderately to highly boring, you really have no excuse to skip spending time with family and friends. Just enjoy the relaxation and the restoration that winter break brings with the people that make the suburbs home before it’s gone.