The excitement of having time off from classes is at an all time high right after your last final. You eagerly pack your bags, greet your family with smiles and excitedly make plans with your friends for the first few days you’re all back. Then the countdown to the holidays begins. However, what comes next is the struggle of those few days in between Christmas and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s and the start of classes, when the excitement of the holidays has gone and you’re stuck at home with nothing to do. It can be boring and the free time usually goes by unappreciated. Here are a couple ways to try to entertain yourself during those in-between days.
1. Try out yoga
Yoga classes can be expensive and at times intimidating if you’re surrounded by experienced yogis. The internet is full of amazing yoga tutorials taught by real professionals. Give Yoga with Adriene a shot. The YouTube channel is run by yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler, out of her Texas apartment. She’s built up a massive following of nearly two million subscribers. She’s taught yoga classes and retreats everywhere from South America to Germany. Each video is gentle enough for beginners, with Adriene giving encouragement throughout the entire video. If you’re a more seasoned yogi, check out her 30-day yoga camp challenges. I’ve been following this yoga channel for more than two years now, and while each session has something special in it, I highly recommend her “Holiday Yoga Playlist.” It’s a great way to ease into your fitness-focused New Year’s resolutions.
2. Read for pleasure
With an empty calendar, you have nearly a month to read for pleasure, which is a rarity during classes. However, it can be difficult to find the perfect book. I stumbled upon Best To Laugh by Lorna Landvik by accident this fall, and it’s been a favorite of mine since. It tells the story of 22-year-old Candy Pekkala, who finds herself moving to Hollywood in the 1970s from Minnesota with her cousin. Meeting her new ambitious neighbors and exploring her surroundings inspires Candy to pursue her dream of being a stand-up comedian. All the while she experiences flashbacks to her motherless past that explain why she wants to go into comedy. It’s overall a great, light read. Not only is the main character relatable AF, but her journey gives a great message of how practicing your craft and holding your heritage close can go hand-in-hand with helping you find happiness.
3. Bingewatch documentaries on Netflix
Sitcoms and dramas are great for bingewatching, but Netflix also has numerous documentaries you can watch while cuddled up on the couch. I personally always find myself watching documentaries straight from the crime and cultural genres. My three favorites on Netflix right now are Finding Vivian Maier, Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine and Dear Zachary. Each film is focused on one individual who has influenced dozens of people around them, and those people sit down to share memories of how their lives unfolded. I only ask, please leave Dear Zachary for last. It’s a tearjerker but so worth the frustration you’ll feel!
4. Splurge on a massage
Fall classes are finally done and winter term is right around the corner. Get rid of the stress from the past few months and relax before heading back to the stress of bi-weekly midterms. Massages can be pricey depending on where you go. Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa has numerous locations around the country, including one right under Chestnut Square on campus. Some of their locations even have introductory offers that are more affordable than others. Ask for a package as a last-minute gift for the holidays or splurge on yourself.
5. Shop the post-holiday sales
This is just an obvious tip. The week after Christmas comes with food babies and sales. It’s tempting to spend all the money you got from Santa whether it be online retailers having great deals or braving the crowds at the local mall. Post-holiday shopping gives you the opportunity to return any gifts you don’t need or want, and exchange them for something you’ve had your eye on for a while. Shopping trips can take up a few days’ time over break if you’re dedicated enough. It also provides a great opportunity to stock up on winter essentials.
There you have it! These are just a few suggestions you can use to entertain and treat yo’self over winter break. While you probably have numerous items to check off your to-do list (i.e. set the Guinness World Record for most consecutive hours spent watching Netflix), hopefully adding a few can make your break even better! However you spend your time, it’s best to get up and do something. That way, you have a better answer to the inevitable questions awaiting you: “So, what did you do over break?”