One of the unique characteristics of Miami University is our January term, or "J-term." This means that we don't have the typical four weeks off for winter break like most colleges do. Instead, we have six. That's right. Six weeks. While students have the option to take a class or study abroad, most students opt to spend their break at home. While some love the extra time at home with friends and family, others can't wait to get back to campus that last Monday in January.

However, many students share these same sentiments during the break:

Week one

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Week one. Finals are over and you've never felt so free in your life. You're excited to be back in your hometown and are eager to make plans to do all sorts of fun things this holiday season.

Week two

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IT'S CHRISTMAS! THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! You're still on top of the world with all the holiday cheer surrounding you. After all, it's almost time for Santa to come!

Week three

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Now that the craziness of the holidays is over, you have time to relax and just have fun. You have plenty of time to have snowball fights in Central Park with your brother, go ice skating with your crush, and run through revolving doors until you make yourself sick.

Week four

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It's almost time for all of your high school friends to head back to school, so you have one last hurrah together. It's filled with lots of dancing and coffee mixed with maple syrup.

Week five

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All of your friends are back at school and you have found yourself utterly alone. You find yourself wondering how you can possibly still have TWO WHOLE WEEKS before it's your turn to head back to campus.

Week six 

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YOU DID IT! YOU SURVIVED J-TERM! (Well, almost.) You're already packing your bags and are even almost looking forward to the long, cold walks across campus and the mounds of homework that your professors are going to assign you on the first day of classes.

Despite the fact that you're dying to get back to Oxford by the end of J-term, when next year rolls around you'll be more than ready for it again. Good luck surviving J-term this year, RedHawks, and remember this: "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."