Just because school pauses, the rest of the world doesn’t

I love being a Content Creator and Editor in Chief for the Aspiring Journalism Professionals Odyssey community, President of the Beta Eta Xi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, farmer and caregiver.

Even though the semester is over, I still have responsibilities during the break.

You only get out what you put in 

I don't have to be so involved in my honor society or Odyssey, but I know that you only get out what you put in. The more effort you put into something, the more you will get out of it.

Even if the result isn't what you wanted, you still gain knowledge about what caused the unwanted results and can avoid it in the future

Christmas is during break

Making gifts, baking sweet treats, sending cards, decorating and so much more… I don't get a break from working, but I love it.

My room looks like a nightmare

Finals week is a nightmare and my room is proof of it. How can I enjoy winter break when I can barely see my floor? Not going to lie, I hate cleaning my room but love how it looks when I'm done.

Use it or lose it

Even though winter break is only a month long, I know that I'll lose what I've learned if I don't use it. Being proactive and practicing the math equations — that leave me more confused than a chameleon in a bag of skittles — leaves me better prepared for next semester.

Scholarship applications are due soon

Why wait until the last minute to complete scholarship applications when I can take the time to make sure I've given it my all? I mean, I'm only asking for people to give me money.

I can catch up with friends

Adulting sucks. It's a lot of "I'm free Friday, does that work for you?" only to be met with "I wish, but I have work/class." Winter break means that I can finally catch up with friends I haven't seen in a while.

I can update my resume

Winter break is a great time to reflect upon the past year and update your resume with the amazing things you've accomplished.

I can get an early start for next semester

Do I know what chapters the professor will cover from the textbook? Not always. But that doesn't mean I can't flip through the textbook to see what I've signed myself up for.

My inbox needs organizing

Even though I'm good at checking my email and responding, I'm not always the best at organizing emails into folders right after I've read them.

I don’t remember the last time I really cleaned my makeup brushes

I've cleaned off the surface faithfully, but I know it's been a while since I've taken the time to really give my makeup brushes a deep cleaning.

Budget assessment

I know I need to book a flight for PTK Catalyst early if I want better prices. I also know I need to make room in my budget for Regional PTK conferences, graduation and transferring to a university. There will still be unexpected expenses, but I'd rather prepare for what I know I can expect.

I wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t busy

I've learned to never say the "b-word" — "bored." For one, it leads to being handed a scoop shovel and being told there's a barn that could use cleaning. But I also don't know how to handle myself when I'm not busy.

Busy doesn't mean I have to be busy doing something to advance my career. Busy can mean I'm taking the time to pamper myself and get my nails done. Either way, I honestly love being busy and not giving myself much of a break during winter break