The toughest time of year is creeping upon us. We just got back to school from Thanksgiving break after stuffing our faces with homestyle food and cramming in spending time with friends. The sad thing is that we have three to four rigorous weeks of the semester left before winter break rolls around. We have endless amounts of projects, tests, exams and essays that we need to get done in such a limited amount of time. Here are some things you can do to get you through the end of the semester and hopefully gear you towards getting excited for winter break festivities!
1. Decorate
Buying a small holiday tree can be super fun. There are plenty of awesome farms that sell real trees but there are also very cheap fake trees at Walmart. You can turn your home away from home into a festively decorated makeshift house that will put you in the holiday spirit for sure. You can even have some friends over and do some DIY decorating!
2. Ice Skate
One of the first things I think of when I start feeling the chilly winter weather is ice skating. It is one of the most (and only) fun things to do outside in the cold. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor rinks too. URI has open skate nights in the Boss Arena, there’s a beautiful rink in Newport, and there are even some farther away ones in Foxboro and Boston. Grab some friends to skate with, take some falls, and grab some hot cocoa!
3. Ski and snowboard
Another fun winter festivity that incorporates exercise is skiing and snowboarding. Although it can be a bit pricey, some mountains usually have deals throughout the season that you and your friends can cash in on. It’s a super easy day trip to plan with a good sized group of friends. You may come back to school with a few bumps and bruises, but it’s totally worth it to get back on the mountain.
4. Test dessert recipes
One of my all-time favorite things to do is bake. I’ll bake for myself, my friends, my family, my co-workers…literally anyone. A fun thing to do while writing your essays could be testing different dessert recipes. Try different cookies, cupcakes, breads or jams and see which one comes out the best! That way, when you give out delicious treats for the holidays you’ll be sure to have chosen the best recipe!
5. Shop
What better way to prepare for winter break than by shopping for a banging New Years Eve outfit!? There’s no better way to see all of your high school friends than in a great outfit! Who cares if you’re overdressed and dolled up? It’s acceptable on New Years! Grab some friends and head over to Providence Place Mall, Warwick Mall or even to Newport to grab some flashy, new and trendy clothes to start the year off right.
After finding the time to do some (or all) of these chilly-themed things, your winter vacation should be right around the corner! Try not to stress yourself out too much around this time of year. I know Thanksgiving was a tease, but soon enough you’ll have almost an entire month off to do whatever you want and see everyone you missed.
You better start testing out those tricky dessert recipes!