The thought of seven weeks off for winter break in the beginning of the school year sounds almost heavenly. As the semester progresses it’s the one thing you keep looking forward to. And then finally it’s here. Seven entire weeks to yourself and you don’t have to worry about school.

Christmas and New Years were exciting because there was something to look forward to and I was always surrounded by family. However, after the holidays passed I wasn’t sure what to do.

Well, it’s seven weeks later and I can say I am very ready to go back to school. As some people read this they may think “Why is she complaining about having all of this time off?”. To set the record straight I’m not complaining about the entire time off. Just those certain weeks where I wish I was back at school.

The University of Delaware has the longest winter break out of any other college. So, when my friends started going back to school and started their classes, and I couldn’t simply text them and ask if they wanted to hang is when the real boredom set in.

Winter break is different from summer. During the summer I can go to the beach and I have work to keep me occupied. It feels like there's always something to do because the weather is so nice. The winter is a very different time.

It’s not like I had a terrible time either, I fully enjoyed my break. However, there comes a point where you’ve been stuck in the house for too long because it’s -5 outside and nothing else to do. Nobody wants to go out in that weather so it’s another day stuck on the couch watching Netflix or reading my book.

Somedays that was really nice just having time to myself to get a head start on all of my books waiting to be read. By the end of January I had already read five books and was on my way to making a dent in my goal of 52 books for the year. Other days I went really stir crazy. I didn’t feel like reading or watching TV (that’s when I turned to the adult coloring books).

It was also nice to spend time with my mom and when the weather was bearable we’d go on little day trips. One of my favorites was exploring a Cat Cafe in Asbury Park. Another trip I took with my parents was up and down the Delaware River on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey side. It was beautiful to see a different part of my home state that I hadn’t previously seen before.

Now, I’m very ready to go back to school. I feel rested and rejuvenated from all my mornings sleeping in. I’m excited to see my friends again even though we have been talking throughout vacation it hasn’t been the same as sitting in the basement and laughing with them at night.

Winter break has been good to me this year. Despite the below freezing temperatures for weeks on end. It has been nice to be home and spend time with my family. Maybe next year I’ll plan better for my long vacation and do something exciting or take a trip. Here’s to the end of break and surviving the next semester.