After staying up for three days straight, eating your weight in pizza and snacks at weird hours, getting way too accustomed to the library, and consuming more caffeine than you have the entire semester, finals are officially over. You can finally enjoy the holidays at home with good food, family, and friends.
But the same thing happens to all of us: we come home, get fed, do some shopping, hang out with our friends and family, and then we’re so ready to be back at school. So now that most of us are going to be home for three or four weeks…how on earth do we survive? Here are some tips and tricks to survive winter break at home.
- Enjoy the food you don’t get at school. Make rounds to all of the local restaurants and food stops that we don’t have in Iowa City. We’re lacking a Dunkin’ Donuts, so get your fix of iced coffee and Munchkins, or for all the Chicagoan’s, enjoy a Portillo’s hotdog with cheese fries. In my hometown, we have many local, hole-in-the-wall places that make home unique, so I make sure to hit up my favorite Mexican, Chinese, and pizza places each time I’m home. Meeting your friends at the local Mexican restaurant for margaritas can make your time at home much more enjoyable.
- Spend time with family. Okay, so this may seem obvious, but your parents and siblings don’t get to see you often, so spending time with them over winter break is super important, and can be fun for all of you. Plan a trip to Des Moines or Chicago for dinner or a play, bake holiday cookies and desserts with your mom and siblings, have a girls day for mani’s and pedi’s with your mom, or make appetizers and watch a Bears game with your dad. Your family will really appreciate the time you spend with them this winter break, and it’ll help get your mind off going back to school.
- COMMUNICATION is key. Coming home for a month can be an adjustment. After all, you are used to the Iowa bar scene, staying out until two or three in the morning, and eating whatever you want, when you want. Talk to your parents about a curfew, if there is one, and what you’ll do if you aren’t planning on coming home that night. Sending a quick text message or letting your parents know where you’ll be for the night is a good way to keep them from bugging you about your whereabouts.
- Reunite with old friends. Your friends at school are top-notch, but your friends from home are who helped shape you into the person you are today. If your life is anything like mine, you’ve probably had a bit of a hard time balancing your GPA, your school friends, family time, and staying in touch with friends form home, so winter break is a perfect time to reunite and recreate the old days with all your best friends. Have slumber parties, (but this time, bring some wine) go on late night runs to Taco Bell, and go bargain shopping together.
- Relax and catch up on reading. For the first time in over three and a half months, you have ZERO homework assignments or papers to worry about. Seriously, enjoy it (you deserve it). Don’t feel bad when you sleep past noon, and don’t feel bad when you lay on your couch watch three Disney movies in a row. Winter break is your time to not worry about school, papers, or even having to make the bar crawl that night when your are dead-tired. We know being at school is fun, but being at home allows you to catch up on sleep, read the latest books, and start Dexter, True Blood, or How I Met Your Mother without feeling guilty. Click here for a list of the best selling books of 2011 to help you get started.
- Plan something big. If lying around all day isn’t your thing, use winter break to plan big trips, events, or parties for your crew at home. Planning a snowboarding trip with your sporty friends is an exciting thing to do over the break. Snowstar Ski Area is about 40 miles from Iowa City, and there are many ski resorts within 50 miles of the Chicagoland Area, including Wilmot, Villa Olivia, and Alpine Valley. Organizing a New Years Eve bash can also be fun, as there are many options to bring in the New Year. Some other ideas include crafting and idea you find on Pinterst, ice skating in downtown Chicago, or hitting up the outlet malls for a day of bargain shopping in Williamsburg, IA, Aurora, IL, Gurnee, IL, or Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Day or overnights trips are a fun, yet relatively inexpensive way to add some excitement to your break and bond with old friends and family.
Before you know it, it’ll be time to head back to Iowa City and start the spring semester, so really… enjoy every minute you have at home! Be with the ones you love, eat home-cooked meals, catch up with your friends, and have a safe, and happy holiday season!
Have any ideas to help those struggling to enjoy their long break at home? Leave a comment in the comments section and share your tips and tricks!
Chicago is a Winter Wonderland!