Unfortunately, the holidays are over, everyone is back on campus, and our emails are already filled with reading assignments from our professors. Soon we'll be up to our necks in projects, assignments, and studying. Even though the summers a whole five month away, here is 5 things to go do and enjoy this semester.

1: Hidden Valley and Ice Skating. If you are feeling adventurous and you don't mind a bit of a drive out west of St. Louis, Hidden Valley Ski Resort just opened up again January 4th so you and your friends or family can get your skiing or snowboarding on for solid prices. Also, Wednesdays are half off student nights! They are also very accommodating to beginners as well by having an introduction course on how to ski and snowboard. No equipment? No problem they also have their own equipment to rent out! They also have tubes to slide on if skis and snowboards are not quite your forte. If you want to stay close there are many places to ice skate at, too. Most impressively, there is one that is opened directly under the St. Louis and the Steinberg Ice Rink where you also can rent equipment, grab a drink or snack, and go skating or sit and watch the Blues game.

2: Polar Bear. Once per semester our sister campus, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, throws a massive party called Polar/Solar Bear all across the campus and town. There are so many people there and so many well-known businesses make a large spike in income or just close for that weekend because of how crazy it is going to get. It is so crazy in fact that the party itself puts the university on the top 10 list of some of the best parties or party college in the United States! The best part is it is only an hour and a half away and you will more likely than not already know a friend going to school there and they will likely let you stay at their place.

3: Formal. For those of you in Greek Life, we all remember or not remember formal. It is that amazing time of year where we all try to have the best night ever while trying to look good for pictures, our advisor, our organization, and our dates by at least making it to dinner. We grow the fortitude to invite someone, guys make girls paddles or girls paint the guys a cooler based on what he likes, dress up in formal attire, and try our best to keep our dignities by not vomiting at the hotel. 10/10 will go again.

4: Spring Break. Spring break no matter if you are in the summer sun of Cancun, Mexico, sandy beaches of PCB and Gulf Shores, out on the ocean on an all you can eat and drink Caribbean cruise, or flying down the snowy peaks of Breckenridge, Colorado you're bound to have an amazing time with your friends and family. It's so great because we already get a lot of time off during the semester but a week long break after midterms is just incredible and the weather is just turning warm. I can't imagine any college student not looking forward to this and raging with other students from all over the world.

5: Graduation. Congratulations! It's the end of the semester and all four years of joy, laughter, and occasionally tears are finally worth it to get your degree that you might not even use. Your friends are proud, your family is proud, and most importantly you're proud of yourself. Even if you aren't graduating you feel a certain gratification from your friend's success and it's always hard to see them go off. Especially knowing that you have that you still have a while to go before you go, and just then your phone goes off notifying you that your professors just emailed you your assignments for your summer classes.