@Earl53 Morguefile
While many students head home for the holidays to spend time with family, just as many students stay close to school and hang out with their friends. Regardless of where you’ll spend your holiday before returning to college in January, we thought you might like a quick list of five things you can do during your Christmas Break.
- Relax your mind from your everyday college life stressors by settling into a comfy chair with a new book and a cup of hot cocoa. The University of Virginia has compiled a short list of recommended titles: http://www.universityherald.com/articles/56282/20161221/winter-break-read-books-away-college-according-university-virginia.htm
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“Flash” is a book on photography and is perfect for those interested in the craft. It features the life in Charlottesville from the 1940’s to the 70’s.
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“Holsinger’s Charlottesville” and “The Corner” are good reads for photograph collections of Virginia.
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“Nine Island” by Jane Alison is a great read for creative writers.
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William Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying” and “The Sound and the Fury” are two novels that are highly recommended and are Schwartzburg’s favorites.
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“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara is described to be a loved and hated book.
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Creative writers can also benefit from Rita Dove’s “Collected Poems” and Lisa Russ Spaar’s “Monticello in Mind: Fifty Contemporary Poems on Jefferson.” Perfect for English Lit majors.
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Woolfork also recommends “Citizen: An American Lyric” by Claudia Rankine which features photographs, poetry and prose.
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Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a recommended book by the UVA students.
2. Consider earning extra cash during Winter Break by checking into what these cities offer, including driving other students to their destinations, babysitting, tutoring a high school student and more… http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/news/2016/12/16/top-cities-for-college-students-to-make-money-over.html
3. If you’re considering transferring to a different college, consider these quick access resources for checking prospective schools. Go to their website or call the financial aid office. If you meet the qualifications, find out how to apply. Don’t assume that by applying for admission, you’re applying for scholarships. It’s often a separate process. Be aware that scholarship deadlines can be different from those set for the admission application. In fact, some schools ask you to submit an application for scholarships prior to your application for admissions. Raising your GPA and test scores in high school will help increase your chances of earning merit aid. (Source: http://news.hamlethub.com/ridgefield/life/54524-winter-break-goals-5-tips-for-finding-college-scholarships)
4. Avoid boredom over Winter Break by choosing one of the activities listed at ULoop, College Entertainment News. (Source: http://www.uloop.com/news/view.php/223103/6-Ways-to-Avoid-Boredom-During-Winter-Break
5. Find out what you can do during your Winter Break after your homework is done and you’d like to escape from just sitting around. Here are some suggestions from the OreDigger: http://oredigger.net/2016/12/winter-break-what-to-do-when-homework-is-done/
Above all, find a way to relax and enjoy your time away from your studies. Consider these tips:
- Go to the Movies
Odds are, anyone who doesn’t have a minor in film is severely deprived of movies during the school year. Get back into the swing of things with some new releases like La La Land, Moonlight, and Moana.
- Read a Book
College students have desks full of books but it is not often that reading is done for fun. Winter break is the perfect time to dust off all the books that sit at home unloved during the school year. It’s never a bad idea to revisit an old favorite.
- Sleep
Finals week takes no prisoners when it comes to sleep. Studying consumes every hour of this stressful week, so this break, if spent wisely, is the perfect way to catch up on sleep. Consider it a way to feel refreshed before the start of another semester and the inevitable approach of another finals week.
- Go Ice-Skating
It took a while, but it is finally beginning to feel like winter outside. Ice-skating is always a good time, whether it’s outside on a frozen pond or inside at an ice rink.
- Lounge About
There’s nothing better than curling up by the fireplace with a blanket and a mug full of hot chocolate. Sometimes, the little things in life are the greatest. This is the only vacation during the school year that offers this level of stress-free relaxation; enjoy it while it lasts.
Don’t be afraid to take notes from this list. Winter break is the best time to get some rest and relaxation, but use it wisely! Your vacation is a good time to prepare for the Spring semester by buying textbooks and memorizing a new class schedule because, as always, there is learning to be done when you get back to school.
What are your thoughts? Have a favorite activity you’d like to share with us about what you do during your Winter Break from college?
