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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Winter break is quickly approaching. Everyone is heading back to their hometowns to celebrate the season of giving with their loved ones. For college students, we are home for around a month, give or take a week or two. There’s so much to do around the winter season. Here are some fun activities to consider trying over winter break.

Decorate a gingerbread house

I love having a little friendly gingerbread house decorating competition. It’s a fun activity for people of all ages. This is a great way to bond with your family, listen to Christmas music and enjoy each other’s company. A gingerbread house night with friends is also very fun. You could set up a hot cocoa bar with different toppings, watch a cute holiday movie and even do secret Santa or white elephant on the same night.

Go ice skating

Living in Western New York, there are outdoor ice rinks, usually in bigger cities. There are also local ice rinks, where hockey teams play, that have open skate nights. You can bring your own skates or rent skates at the rink. It’s okay if you’re not a pro. Bring some friends who will encourage you and cheer you on. Once you get gliding, it’s not too hard to get the hang of it. Be sure to bundle up, because the ice does get cold.

See a movie

Usually, around the holiday season, anticipated movies are released. Visit the movie theater, grab a Slurpee and some movie theater popcorn, if you feel like splurging, and sit back and enjoy the show. This winter some big movies that will be released include, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “A Man Called Otto” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

Catch up with high school friends

After everyone has been away at school, it’s nice to visit your friends at home. Maybe reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while to rekindle your friendship. Going for coffee, grabbing lunch, and going to the gym are potential ways to spend time with friends.

Volunteer

Putting your time towards a good cause is a great thing to do over the holiday season. There are so many ways to get involved. Volunteering to ring a bell and collect donations for the Salvation Army is an option. Going to a local soup kitchen and cooking for the guest is a fun way to give back. Collecting items for a charity in your area is another option. There are so many ways to help people in need. Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and your home town.

Have you started to plan your itinerary for winter break? Maybe try some of these activities!

Hi!! I'm Kelsey and I'm a senior strategic communication major at St. Bonaventure University. I love reading, writing, listening to podcasts and walking!