Now that we are all heading home from our long semester away at school, it's important to catch up on life. Before you pack up again and head back, here are ten things to do while you're home for winter break!
- De-stress
After a long semester of homework assignments, papers, exams - and, of course, those last few weeks studying for finals - you need to de-stress. Whether it's going on a long run, visiting with friends, or just laying down doing absolutely nothing, this is a MUST do. The body needs some time to recover after dealing with the stresses that come with college - and what better than a whole month to do it?! So wipe the slate clean and make sure you find a way to clear your mind before a new semester begins. - See your family
After being away for quite some time, make sure you spend some time with your family. Your family most likely misses you and are all looking forward to finally being able to catch up. Whether it's your grandma, father, brother, or cousin, make sure you take some time for them.
- See your friends
Probably one of the best parts of coming home from school: seeing your friends. With your childhood friends most likely being spread out around the country, it’s so exciting to be reunited. Make sure you take the time to grab coffee with your best friend and hear about all those amazing memories she made while away at school. Some of those childhood friends will always be your best and most true, so make sure you don't forget about them over break.
- Celebrate Christmas
You may want to acknowledge one of the largest reasons you get a whole month off of school. Part of going home for many college students entails the celebration of Christmas! It’s called the most wonderful time of the year for a reason; make sure you do all your favorite traditions and finish your holiday shopping. - Celebrate New Years
On New Years, you’ll probably miss the type of festivities that college has to offer (wink, wink). No worries; still try to make the best out of your New Years at home. Who knows! Maybe you’ll have the best New Years Eve chilling with your dog on the couch. Or you could always catch up with your high school friends and count down to the year 2016. Don’t forget the champagne!
- Do absolutely nothing for a day!
College is so busy. I don't think there is a day where I have absolutely nothing to do. It's totally ok to do nothing. So when you’re home, make sure to take a day and remember what it’s like to do ABSOLUTELY nothing. Shamelessly stay in your PJs for a whole 24 hours, watch 20 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, and enjoy doing nothing for a day.
- Get a haircut
If you’re a guy, by now your hair is so long that mom barely recognized you when you walked through the door. If you’re a girl—whether you admit it or not— your hair just looks like a hot mess. It’s clear that you need a little rejuvenation. Hit up your favorite hair stylist from home and take the time to get a haircut! Who knows, maybe you’ll get a fresh new look to show off when you get back to school.
- Go shopping!
Let’s face it, college students are on a budget. Chances are, you’ve been deprived of the mall for a whole semester now. The mall is no longer an activity for you and your friends to do on the weekends. Treat yourself after working hard for a semester and head to your favorite store. But of course, don’t spend too much because in one short month that budget reappears.
- Work
Do something productive with your month at home. Especially if working is too much for you combined with school during the semester, make sure you get some hours during your free time. Try to waitress at a local restaurant, revisit your high school job, or even babysit the kids down the street. It's nice to have a little pocket money while away at school. Working is part of this whole new “adult” thing. - Prepare for the new semester
Sorry to break it to you, but there will eventually be a day that you will need to pack up and head back to school. Make sure you prepare by ordering your new textbooks and returning the old. Also, make sure you have all your supplies to be successful the next few months. You’re only a semester away from a whole summer off, so make sure you have what you need to be successful!
