Congratulations, you made it through fall quarter! Here are five things to help you make the most of your time off during winter break.
1. Plans
Sure it’s great to take a few days to veg out in yoga pants and let your brain recover from finals, but if you’re not careful, you could let your whole break pass by before you know it! Setting plans helps ensure that you make the most of your time. Try planning a day trip or two to visit friends you’ve met while at Western in their hometowns.
2. A Book to Read for Pleasure
Pick out a book to read for pleasure during break. Not only can reading be a rejuvenating escape, research shows that reading a novel can improve brain function. Try re-reading something from a favorite childhood series like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia, you never know what new insights you’ll uncover!
3. Creative Time
You know all those craft projects you added to your Pinterest board while you should have been writing your final paper last week? Now is the time to do them! Crafting can be a time for rest and reflection. Think about your experiences from this quarter and envision what you want the rest of the year to be like. If you haven’t already, download the Joann Fabrics App, it always has great coupons!
4. Active Gear
Try to find fun ways to remain active even without access to the student rec center. Maybe you could even start a new tradition of morning Yoga with the fam! And hey, even if your shoes stay in your bag and you only use your running pants to dash from the kitchen back to the couch, at least you can feel good about yourself for packing them.
5. A Re-Setting Activity
Out with the old and in with the new! Take some time to clean out your closet, go through that box of “to sort” papers from two years ago, or get rid of old information on social media. Doing any of these things will make you feel super productive and set you up for success next quarter.