If you’re anything like me, the long weeks of winter break are the opposite of relaxing. While it’s nice to have some time to breathe after a long semester, school work keeps me from stressing out from feeling like I’m wasting time. Unlike high school, college winter break is basically a month long- just long enough to be boring and just too short to do anything too wild. Plus, if you live in New York, you’ll be buried in snow the whole time. To counteract this, I try to find little ways to be productive. For those of you like me, I’ve compiled this list of things to do to stay productive during winter break, no matter how short or long!
Start a reading list. Reading is an awesome way to stay entertained while also gaining that sense of intellectual productivity. Reading books introduces you to new topics and ideas, and can really fill up some time. If you wanna be super productive, you could even read some books that you know you’re gonna read in a class the next semester. I may be a little biased as an English major, but I truly believe that reading is one of the purest ways to accumulate knowledge and has a certain aspect of fun and fulfillment. Professors at Naz, no matter what department they’re in, are also always happy to share what they’ve been reading recently and make a few suggestions if you ask. Here’s a look at my reading list (so far) to maybe jar your interest:
- A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
- For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingay
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare
- Heny IV, William Shakespeare
- The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare
(All the Shakespeare’s for a class)
This is a great chance to not only read those really thick works of classic literature that I’m SURE you all love as much as I do, but also more “fun” books that you wouldn’t have time to read otherwise (for that I would suggest Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman).
Look/Apply for Internships. Internships are integral to a good resume, and the long stretch of the winter is an awesome chance to start looking around, especially if you’re going to be too busy to look in depth during the semester. As a bonus, you’ll be able to get your applications in that much earlier. Internships are awesome, not just for the experience for your resume, or even the chance to discover what it is you want to do, but also for to possibility to discover what you DON’T want to do. With this being said, don’t be afraid to get an internship that’s a little out of your comfort zone: you might just realize you love it (or hate it). Either way, looking around for an internship is an awesome way to feel like you aren’t wasting away during those snowy weeks of winter break. Rochester is filled with amazing businesses and cool places to intern at. I currently have three internships in the area that I’m looking at, one that I interviewed for and start in the spring.
Go to the gym. I probably put this on every single “list of things to do” blog, but it’s for good reason. Exercise is so important not only for your physical health but mental and emotional health, and the winter is an awesome time to get into a bit of a routine. If you’re a first-time gym goer, it’s a great chance to really spend some time to get comfortable and learn a lot about the ways in which you can physically better yourself. If you stick with it, I guarantee that you’ll come back to Naz and won’t be able to wait to step into the (free) student fitness center and take some time to destress.
Winter break may seem fun and liberating at first, but if you’re anything like me, too much relaxation becomes too much like torture. So instead of laying around all day, why not pick up a book, look for an internship, or hit the gym? You’ve got about a month of vacation in college, so you might as well use it wisely.