After the fall quarter came to an end, it was time for a few weeks of pure bliss with holiday break. UCSB students could spend their time sleeping in, engaging in their favorite leisure activities, and celebrating the holiday season. Many of our Gauchos may travel far and wide to celebrate this special time of year with loved ones, while some may stay local or travel nearby. To learn more about our college culture over break, I spoke to three UCSB students about their holiday experiences and traditions.
“Home” Has Various Meanings
Whether students choose to travel back to their hometowns, stay in Isla Vista, or travel elsewhere, UCSB’s population is full of so many unique experiences. Jaime Durden, a third year student and Bay Area native, is going home for break. Living in Menlo Park, just an hour from San Francisco, is Jaime’s family: her parents, siblings, extended family, and of course, her adorable dog, Finn. Third year student, Sean Luch, is spending his break both in Isla Vista and in his hometown, San Diego. In Santa Barbara, Sean is continuing to work at his restaurant job Downtown, while in San Diego, he gets to spend time with family and friends at home. On the other hand, third year exchange student Sveva Quattrone is traveling quite far for the holidays. As her hometown is in Cremona, a city in Northern Italy, she is leaving her study abroad at UCSB to go home and spend the holidays with family. Unfortunately, she has to go home for the rest of the year, but Sveva will always be a Gaucho!
The idea of being “home” for the holidays may be different for everyone. Some of us students feel most at home in our Isla Vista apartments, while others feel closer to home where we grew up. Wherever “home” is for you, I hope you spent this break doing something truly relaxing and enjoyable.
UCSB Students’ Traditions
While talking with these students, I had the pleasure of learning about their annual holiday traditions while they are home, wherever that may be. Personally, I have a couple simplistic traditions my family participates in every year, so it was exciting to learn about fellow students’ experiences.
Jaime described her family’s White Elephant gift exchange, which they prepare months in advance, getting the most random gifts they can think of. “It gets very intense, especially during the round where you can steal presents from other people, and one of the little kids usually ends up crying,” she exclaimed. She also loves decorating the Christmas tree with her family. Once her and her sister get home from college, the Durden family blasts Christmas music and decorates the tree together.
While in Santa Barbara, Sean enjoys taking himself on a drive to visit the best local Christmas lights. He loves exploring the beauty of Downtown State Street, as the sidewalks are beautifully lit with festive lights and decorations. When he gets to go down to San Diego, he traditionally attends a Christmas Eve mass with family, and spends the following day with his maternal side of the family. They always share a Christmas dinner, and have recently begun a new tradition, a holiday cocktail-making contest! Although he has to spend his break in two separate places, he can find the joy in celebrating the holidays in both homes equally.
Sveva had some exciting traditions that I’ve never experienced myself. On Christmas Eve, her family hosts a dinner competition, where teams create a dish and then rate one another’s to find the winning plate. She charmingly noted, “Of course my team is always the winning one.” Her family then goes to a midnight church service and shares presents around the Christmas tree to end the night. They also have a tradition where they write down their predictions for the following year’s holiday, and read their guesses from previous years!
Wherever they spend the holidays, it’s clear that UCSB students cherish spending time with their family and loved ones. Hearing from my fellow Gauchos and their own holiday experiences gave me some ideas for future traditions of my own!
Mixed Emotions about Returning Home
Although this time of year is a pleasant and relaxing time for some, it may not be for everyone. Returning home for a long break may be stress-inducing due to family dynamics, or even nerve-racking to return to an old environment.
Although she is excited to return home to spend time with family she hasn’t seen in months, Jaime described that she feels stressed with the differing family dynamics and anxious about the large gatherings. However, she explained that overall, she’s close with her family so it’s enjoyable to see everyone.
“Since going to college, my relationships with my family and siblings have changed, and I appreciate the time I get to spend with them more now,” said Jaime.
These mixed feelings may be relatable for many college students; although there may be tensions between family members, the distance of college may bring our familial relationships closer. Not living under the same roof as our family members can possibly help our relationships, and make us enjoy the valuable time we do have with them that much more.
Sean feels similarly, in that he’s excited to go home to spend the holiday with his family. Although it gets less seasonal in San Diego, he believes that he can bring his holiday spirit from Isla Vista back home.
Sveva unfortunately has to return home to Italy, which means leaving UCSB for the time being. Although she is excited to return home and spend time with family, she described this quarter as one of the best times of her life.
“Spending three months here, I had the best experience of my life, and I had met the best people ever,” Sveva said.
Although she is sad to leave her California life, Sveva gets to see her family after many months and celebrate the season with her loved ones. Many exchange students may feel a similar mix of emotions; it is bittersweet that these students get to finally go back home and see their friends and family, but they have to leave their new UCSB lives behind.
UCSB and many other California schools have a long holiday break. Every student spends it differently—spending time with family, traveling, working, or doing things on their own—and many students may have reserved, mixed feelings when faced with returning home. There are many versions of a perfect holiday break, but hopefully you got the chance to spend it with loved ones, because those four weeks are a perfect time to do so. Remember to spread kindness and cherish every moment with your loved ones; time is valuable, and you should make the most of it!