Winter break for college students is the long-awaited time for them to catch their breath from the glories and struggles of college life. Coming off weeks of studying and taking finals, it’s time to enjoy your break. What should you do during the weeks without school until you return for the spring semester? Collegeboxes has a few suggestions from relaxing to bettering yourself for the future.
6 Things to Do During Winter Break in College
Most college students generally return home for winter break, whether that’s in another state or down the street, and at times it can be boring. However, these six ideas can keep you busy and take advantage of your time away from the classroom.
1. Set New Goals for the New Year
With it being winter break, it’s the perfect time for a New Year’s resolution. Now you don’t have to do the typical lose this amount of weight or live life to the fullest goals. There is nothing wrong with those ideas but be specific. You can involve what you’ve learned from college, especially if you’re coming off your first semester. Here are a handful of college-related goals to consider:
- Raise Your GPA
- Join a Club or an Intramural team
- Make a New Friend
- Use Your Planner More
- Take an Elective Out of Your Comfort Zone
- Achieve a Better Sleeping Schedule
The ideas could keep going and going, but your goals will likely be dictated by how far along you are with your degree. Maybe you’re a junior and that final year is coming up, what is the goal for getting a job as graduation is quickly approaching? Say that your first semester was a struggle in a lot of ways, as it is for most first-year students, how can you change that? Regardless of the goals you make, write them down as it’s been found that the focus on your goal increases and there’s a better chance that you achieve it.
2. Spend Quality Time with Friends and Family
If you’re traveling home for the first time since move-in day, you’ll be seeing family and friends that you’ve missed since leaving for college. This time will be extra special if you spent Thanksgiving in the dorms too. Of course, you’ll spend the holidays with family and friends but be sure to make time for them outside of those days.
Plan an outing or two with friends for dinner, a movie, or an activity you used to do while growing up. As for your family, enjoy the time around them because the family aspect isn’t ever truly the same once you go to college and take the voyage into adulthood. Game night with the siblings, going out to dinner with your parents, or even a family walk. Appreciate the time with them and pro tip, put your phone away because you’ll love being in the moment far more.
3. Rest Up and Recharge
Let’s be honest, college students don’t have the best sleeping schedules. When you come home without the responsibility of homework and class, you can take the time to catch up on sleep. One piece of advice from us though is to have a conversation with your parents about the expectations for you when you return home. Will you have chores? Are they okay with you sleeping in and taking advantage of the free time you have? Talking to them will help avoid any issues and taking the initiative to have this conversation, they’ll understand that you want and need extra rest.
Winter break is also a great time to read or watch the show you’ve been waiting to binge. For first-time college students, and even those about to graduate, school can be stressful on the mind and body. Find things to unwind and get yourself ready for the next semester. Although, as we mentioned before, don’t spend your entire break on the couch and make time for family and friends.
4. Apply for Scholarships and Internships
College is expensive. Employers desire more than just a degree. Use winter break to better your financial situation for the present and the future. Maybe you didn’t have the best grades in high school but have made up for it in college. You’re likely eligible for scholarships that weren’t available to you when you were still in high school. If you’ve changed your major, as a good portion of college students do at least once, you could also have new scholarships open to you to apply for.
At some point in college, you’ll need to get an internship. This is a great time to update your resume and LinkedIn to help you land an internship. Browse for opportunities in the summer and the next fall as it’s likely too late for a spring internship. Apply for anything that is relates to your passion because you’ll be shocked how helpful the experience will be even If it is not exactly what you were looking for. Connect with people on LinkedIn in the field you’re looking to get into. It’s possible to find a mentor or a person looking to fill an internship as well. Future you will thank you later.
5. Get a Job or Start a Side Hustle
Speaking of jobs, winter break can help you earn extra cash that you want. Of course, you should start planning this before winter break starts. Check in with the restaurant or retail store you used to work at during high school because they could be looking for extra help during the holiday season. The cash can help go to tuition or loans as every cent helps.
Want to know what people love during the holiday season? Treats. If you’re great at baking, make a large batch of cookies or seasonal loaves of bread to sell. If you enjoy it and can make a quick buck from it, why not? There are different ways to make money as a side hustle, if you’re needing extra money try to get creative. The older couples on your street could need their driveway shoveled or your mom’s friend needs help hanging Christmas lights. Turn to your creative thinking skills that college tries to draw out of you.
6. Create a Meal and Exercise Program
Have you returned home, and your mom is questioning what you ate all semester? Feeding ourselves in college is trial and error, the “Freshman 15” is prominent for a reason. One of the best ways to stay fit in college is to eat right and exercise properly. If you’re trying to lose weight or avoid gaining weight, make a plan for how you’re going to eat once you go back to college and try making a few new recipes while you’re at home. If you’ve never gone to the gym, start watching videos about how to get started. If you have a friend that is a gym rat, ask if you can go with them while you’re in town for a few pointers. Taking these steps will lead to a healthier you.
Hopefully these tips will make your winter break and college experience better. We can also make your college moving experience better. Collegeboxes is the No. 1 Student Storage and Shipping Provider powered by U-Haul. We offer services like Storage and Shipping, Ship to School, and Direct Shipping to over 350 schools nationwide. Want to try it out? Sign up today.
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