Every college student is more than grateful when winter break comes around. The only thing that can get us through the last dreadful weeks of the semester is knowing a long awaited break is right on the horizon. Most can only dream about and look forward to staying in bed all day and watching television or Netflix. Let’s be real, we all do it. But after maybe a week of doing that, it can start to get a little boring and you realize that you still have a month of break left! So here is a list of ideas of things you can do around your house or to go out and do when you get bored!
1. Re-Organize
Whether it be your bedroom at home or at your place at school, chances are there are some things you could be getting rid of, especially clothes. While this is not the most fun, it is good to declutter and using all of the free time you have is the best time to do it! Another similar idea would be to redecorate your room!
2. Cook
Every college student also looks forward to going home to get some home cooked meals right? Well, take this time to learn to make some of your own that way you can eat good meals at school too!
3. Go on Day Trips
Luckily, living in the tri-state area provides many options for day trips! Take a day trip into Philadelphia and enjoy all of the holiday spectacles while they are still up! Or, take a trip into a different city such as New York City or Baltimore which are only a couple hours away! If you would rather a scenic country day, Lancaster county has a great deal to offer as well!
4. Pick up More Work Hours
Ask for more hours at your current place of employment or see if someone needs part time help somewhere else. While it may not be something you enjoy, making some extra money over break will put you in a good place financially for the new semester while also getting you out of the house every day.
5. Try a New Coffee Place
Being a huge Starbucks person, I never really went anywhere else for coffee. However, I have recently begun trying some small coffee cafes and I really enjoy going to them! Chances are they all have a different atmosphere to enjoy and you can try different coffee! It also allows you to discover new places to do your homework next semester when it becomes impossible to work in the library any longer.
6. Go To A Museum/Aquarium
Since it is typically pretty cold this time of year, chances are most people are not looking to be outside for extended periods of time. This is the perfect time to go to a museum you’ve never been to! The aquarium is always a lot of fun too!
7. Go Shopping
The holidays did just happen, but a lot of stores do have a lot on sale this time of the year! Even if you're on a budget, sometimes it is fun just to walk around the mall window shopping and day dreaming of what you want!
8. Return to an Old Hobby
Remember that time you said you wanted to start doing photography, or yoga, or learn how to sew but never did it? Well now is the time to try it out! With free time on your hands, you can find a new hobby or try something you have always wanted to do. Having another talent or skill under your belt is never a bad thing!
9. Read
I know, college students have been reading books all semester. But, these were more than likely strictly college textbooks. Head out to Barnes and Noble and pick out a book that sounds interesting and read for pleasure for once instead of being forced to.
10. Exercise in a Different Way
Instead of doing your usual routine at the gym, switch it up a bit! Whether you go for your run outside instead of the treadmill or decide to start lifting weights, your body may appreciate the change! You could also find a class to go to such as Zumba, pilates, or yoga and use that as your workout!
11. Go to Different Restaurants/Bars
We all have our favorite places to go that we could never get tired of, but sometimes it is good to expand your horizons and find a new restaurant or bars to go to, maybe even in a different town! This can be a good way to have some fun nights out during break and find new favorite places to go to!
12. Be a Kid Again
Take a day or two to just forget all of your adult worries and do something you loved to do as a kid. Break out the arts and crafts and do a little DIY project. Go to SkyZone or Dave and Busters to enjoy playing some arcade games. Even if it is something as simple as getting friends together to play a friendly game of soccer, doing what you used to once love will guarantee a smile on anyone's face.
So while break should definitely be relaxing, don’t spend the whole time not doing anything! We all get tired of having those “bum” days of sitting around and doing nothing so use this free time you are given from school and enjoy yourself in many different and exciting ways!
