Even though finals week can be absolutely terrifying, one of the many perks of being a college student is having an extended winter break in which the measly two-week high school break of the past pales in comparison to. With that being said, it’s the perfect time to be reunited with your friends and family from home and absolutely seize every waking moment with them.

Get Dunkin' Donuts

If you’re in college and don’t have a car on campus like me, you probably have been relying heavily on the influence of Starbucks due to its convenient location on campus. This most likely means you’ve been suffering from the symptoms of what I like to call “Dunkin' Withdrawal” and you need to meet up with your friends for a chill sesh at the nearest Dunkin' Donuts immediately.

Skiing/Snowboarding/Ice skating

Skiing, snowboarding, and especially ice skating is the perfect opportunity for a cute winter photo sesh with your BFF’s from home. Although they all seem like fun and games, they can actually be quite challenging to master if it’s your first time doing any of them, so be prepared to wipe out a few times (or the whole time) before you get it.

Local Christmas parades/festivals

Even some of the most rugged towns come together in order to spread the Christmas cheer and host different parades and festivals throughout the month of December. If there’s not anything going on in your town specifically, look up some of the attractions going on in bigger towns around you and invite your friends on a road trip! road trip!

Movies

Winter break is the perfect time to go out to the movie theater with your friends and family due to all the popular movies that have a tendency to be released around Christmas time. Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Greatest Showman, and Pitch Perfect 3 to name a few that will be released this coming late December.

Go to a Christmas party

It doesn’t have to be the most formal thing- Christmas music, cookies, ugly sweaters, and good company is all you need to get in the Christmas spirit.

Bake cookies

If you’re planning on inviting your friends over to catch up, a perfect activity to pass the time is baking all different kinds of cookies that could potentially make an appearance at that Christmas party you want to have.

Decorate gingerbread houses

A perfect way to revisit your childhood and have a competition with your friends on whose house is decorated the best. Hopefully by now you at least know how to assemble the house without it caving in on itself...

Decorate the Christmas tree

Some people love the idea of gathering around the tree with their family and placing each ornament in the perfect position. If you’re not one of those people then do it for your mom- she missed you and she deserves it.

Go to New York City

What’s a better day trip idea than to spend a day with your friends or family in the Big Apple? There’s so many things to do and see around this time of year in NYC- from ice skating in Central Park to visiting the gigantic Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

See the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The TSO is a progressive rock band that go above and beyond visually and musically in their shows to perform their own take on some of your favorite Christmas songs. The first time I went to see a show, I didn’t know what to expect but I left absolutely amazed due to the overall performance of the musicians and the striking laser light show that is projected on the stage and into the audience.

Hold a 'Secret Santa' party

Even though you’ve been away from your best friends from home for so long, a secret Santa gift exchange is the perfect way to show them you care about them and appreciate them, in a way that everyone is included and it’s not too expensive. Setting a minimum and maximum amount of money to spend is a good way to make sure everyone is getting a reasonable gift this Christmas without spending a fortune. If you don’t really know what to buy your secret Santa, one year my friends and I decided to make each other gifts to make the exchange a little more personal and special.

Post-Christmas shopping trip

If you forgot to get your secret Santa a gift or you just feel like treating yo self after the stressful holiday season, some of the best sales of the year are on the day or even the whole week after Christmas.