So it's February Break and you are the only one home. Again.

It seems our Brandeis ways have once again led us to this time of year where, despite our multiple weeks off from school, we are the only college students home at any given time. So what to do when boredom kicks in and you have that guilty feeling in the pit of your stomach that time's being wasted? Here are some tips to keep you occupied:

1) Spring cleaning: It may not be the most entertaining option but its universally necessary. With a week of no-interruptions now is your chance not only to reassess your closet and all of the clothing bursting from either end, its also a great time to restructure. With great design ideas (I go to Ikea.com for simple layouts) you can make an entirely new room out of all your old furniture!

2) A whole new you: True it's hard to pick up a new workout routine overnight, but studies show it's easy to be more energetic and happier if you watch your weight and exercise half an hour a day. Even with the weather still a little nippy, a thirty minute walk outside is infinitely better than time spent in a stuffy gym, and easier too! Take this time off from the temptation of midnight snacks to get yourself back on track!

3) Summer plans: Definitely not fun, also definitely essential. Set a day or two aside to research and apply to internship programs in your field of study.

4)School your homework: If perhaps you decided to stay at school for the week, take advantage of an empty library to get ahead on your work. The benefits of syllabi are that you have absolutely no excuse for ignoring deadlines. Even if they are far in advance, you'll be thanking your lucky stars you took the extra time to alleviate the load later.

5) Why go it alone? It goes without saying that every vacation is the perfect opportunity to schedule in some family time. Go for a walk all together, schedule time to cook a dinner with the entire family or even just see a movie together. Little activities that are simple to make time for (since you ARE the only one who has time off) are much more effective than extravagant plans. My family and I sat down for an hour just to watch hysterical videos on Todaysbigthing.com (highly recommend).

If all else fails, take some time to relax, catch up on sleep and even hit the mall you know better than any other. Soon enough it will be time to come back to Brandeis, ready or not!