Winter Break: the illustrious pause between semesters when exhausted college students can escape classes, homework, papers, and finals. You come home to a warm, home-cooked meal, a clean room, and have nothing better to do than relax while cuddling with loving pets and catching up on Netflix. This kind of heaven sounds almost too good to be true. Unfortunately, it is. Maybe not completely true, because winter break is a great time to unwind, destress, and reset for a new semester; but, life doesn't stop happening just because a few college students go home for break. Here are a few ways to keep up with life, even in between nights by the fire.
The main goal here is to stay busy. Professors and potential employers alike will ask what you did with your breaks, and you'll want something more interesting on your resume than setting the world record for continuous hours watching Netflix. Whether personal or professional, spending your winter break actually doing things can make you exponentially more interesting to anyone trying to hire you.
1. Internships and Externships
These job preview opportunities are a great way to meet future employers, as well as a chance to earn insight into a particular field. One important difference to note is that internships involve weeks of hands on experience working with a company, whereas externships are usually a short, shadowing opportunity. Regardless, these opportunities provide an excellent network of contacts to bolster your resume, and it's never too early to start gaining valuable knowledge that you may one day need in the field.
2. Studying
I know, this one sounds crazy, given that winter break is supposed to be a break from studying. But actually, winter break is one of the best times to study for important professional tests required for entrance into certain graduate programs, such as medical or law school. With most of the year cluttered with school work, jobs, social activities, and more, winter break can be one of the only times you have a chance to just breathe and focus on studying. These tests can be daunting, so studying when your schedule is free can take an enormous amount of stress off your back, and better prepare you for the more hectic months ahead.
3. Planning
On that note, winter break is a great time to plan. Whether that be planning for the next semester, planning a summer trip to Europe, or planning for when you move to DC to take on the new job you just got, winter break's stress free environment is the perfect time to figure out priorities and put them into place. It is just long enough that you actually have time to put stress on the details, but short enough that you don't have to put stress on yourself to commit to anything.
4. Personal Development
Put the focus on you. Use winter break as a time to unwind and figure out what's important to you. Try actually making New Year's resolutions and sticking to them. Learn a new skill, like coding or the basic functions of a car engine, that may help you either in the job search or just in your everyday life. Stay healthy by eating right, despite all the holiday temptations. And most importantly, understand that it's okay to take time off from your busy life.
College can be exhausting, and winter break is always a welcome sight after finals. But don't let the drag of staying in bed all day hinder the life you're making for yourself.
