The holiday season is here! No matter which holiday you celebrate, it can be more challenging for you get your spirits up as a college student due to the stress of finals. With all the group projects, exams, and presentations there are to juggle, it’s important to take a step back for your mental health and to feel festive. Here are five holiday activities you can enjoy right on the University of Illinois campus!
1. Go Ice Skating
There’s no doubt that trying your hand at a wintertime activity like ice skating will make you feel like you’re in a winter wonderland. The University of Illinois campus has an amazing ice arena centrally located on Armory Avenue and Fifth Street. Public skate times include “Lunch Time Skates,” “Wednesday Evening Cheap Skates,” Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. In December, the ice arena pulls out all the stops with Moonlight Skate: A Winter Wonderland on Ice! Ice skating is also very affordable for students, who get free admission with an i-Card.
2. Volunteer or Donate
This a time of year when many people need extra help to make the holidays special for themselves and their families. Spread a little holiday cheer to those less fortunate than yourself by volunteering your time or money to one of the various charitable efforts on campus. The Office of Volunteer Programs hosts a holiday toy drive and Champaign County coordinates Toys for Tots, which are two easy ways to help out even if you have a packed finals schedule! Or, if you want to experience firsthand the impact of your efforts, volunteer your time at places such as the Wesley Food Pantry and Salt & Light Ministries.
3. Drink a Holiday Beverage
For college students, December is synonymous with the chaos of finals! Caffeine is essential for late-night studying and early mornings at the library. Feel festive when hitting the books with a holiday coffee beverage. Pro tip: Espresso Royale has way more holiday flavors than Starbucks this time of year!
4. Ugly Sweater Party
Ugly sweaters have become a huge, hilarious, holiday trend in the past couple of years! Gather your friends and the ugliest sweater you can find for a fun last hurrah before returning home for winter break. If you don’t have an ugly sweater, Ragstock on Green Street always has a huge selection of sweaters to choose from at a reasonable price.
5. Dial-a-Carol
Dial-a-Carol is the oldest University Housing tradition on the University of Illinois campus (57 years)! Volunteers man ten lines 24/7 from December 14 through December 20. All you have to do is call the number, request ANY holiday song you can think of, and a group of merry Illini will serenade you will holiday spirit. Last year, the program received over 10,000 calls from all 50 states and 75 countries. The volunteers even have a “Mariah Meter” to keep track of the number of times they sing “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
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