Winter break is everything, don't let the boredom you feel right now fool you. It's a weird limbo between academic sessions, a much needed rest after the stressful hell you endure during finals week. However, it can be boring. I typically spend my days in bed, watching reruns of Law and Order: SVU, as my Fitbit reminds me to walk at least 250 steps to conquer the hour. It's a nice form of relaxation before internships (yeah, that's, unfortunately, plural), classes, work, and a rigorous fitness routine takes hold of my existence in two weeks. However, laying in bed and watching the same episodes can be unbearable. Here are 6 ways to break out of the boredom!

1. Workout

By this point, all those people who had the resolution to get in shape have already given up and deserted the gym. Now that the first week and all the magic associated with the ~*New Year*~ has disappeared until the beginning of 2018, you can actually enjoy your workout. Wake up early in the morning (waking up at noon is overrated anyway) and go for a run. By the time your body knows what it's doing, the run is almost over! Not only will you feel accomplished for the rest of the day, but you know you're doing something right for your body. Why let your muscles atrophy in bed while watching Gossip Girl, when you can feel super badass at the gym!

2. Read

If you're a literature major like me, you're probably looking at this suggestion like I'm crazy, but hear me out on this one. Reading is fun when it is for fun, not for academics. You're not reading like you're going to write a paper examining the mechanics in Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom's friendship. You're reading for entertainment, for mindless consumption. Who cares about character development and how you can discuss that in a research paper? Not you, my friend, because it is still winter break. You can read any book without stress and anxiety for the assignment that will follow that novel.

3. Learn a new skill

What is something you can't do and wish you could? For me, it was makeup. Winter break is the perfect time of year to take up a new skill especially after the holidays. If my makeup turns out badly (as it did the first few times I began), then it didn't matter because I was going to leave my house anyway. No one was going to see that my bronzer was too dark and my concealer to light. No one was going to comment on the disastrous wing I had created or my poorly filled in eyebrows. There was no pressure to get my makeup done correctly in a timely manner because no one expected me to do a thing that day. Eventually, I developed a skill for mostly everything I wanted to learn (except winged eyeliner) and I still have two solid weeks to perfect it. So for right now, when my mom wonders what the hell I did to my face, I can just shrug because I have nothing better to do than learn how to do my makeup.

4. Plan your moves for next semester

Ah, my favorite thing to do: plan. I like to take this time to really think of my goals for the semester and how I will accomplish these goals. I did really well last semester, what did I do then that I can recreate for the spring? You can now really think about and plan how you will conquer the next semester without being stressed out by the current one.

5. Get ahead

I've already purchased my books for next semester. For me, it's not that hard because sometimes I have already read the books that we'll be reading in class, but for the non-English majors out there it may seem really stupid to purchase and prepare for your classes ahead of time. However, now that you aren't stressed out it might not be a bad idea to look at what you'll be doing. Email your professors for a syllabus ahead of time and really begin to have an idea what your course will be going over during the semester. I like to read the longer books between break because I know I won't have time during the semester to sit and read 4 350-page books at the same time. So get ahead especially if it is a difficult subject! There's no harm in being prepared and ready the first week of classes.

6. Hang out with friends

I spent this vacation hanging out and reconnecting with old friends from high school and it's been a blast. I go out to eat or I go shopping with my friends. Even if we don't buy anything or only eat appetizers, I still end up having a lot of fun. As someone who lives on campus, I'm constantly surrounded by people and that can get exhausting, but being anti-social all break isn't healthy for your overall well-being and not for your relationships. Invite someone over for a movie marathon or head out to go bowling and eat French fries for a few hours! You won't regret it.

Now that I have armed you with 6 tips to make the most out of the last couple of weeks of winter break, go forth! Don't waste the freedom from responsibilies and academia. Really enjoy your time!