By Ellen Blaize,
December 22, 2017

You鈥檝e worked hard all semester. You鈥檝e turned in your last assignment and taken your
last final. It鈥檚 finally here: winter break. *Cue the Hallelujah Chorus* You鈥檙e stress
free and feeling relaxed, except now you鈥檙e...dare we say...bored!? Well, before your
mom starts handing you chores to do, here are a few ideas to keep you entertained:
1) Look at Light Displays
This one鈥檚 a classic. Swing by your local coffee shop and grab a latte or hot chocolate,
blast some holiday tunes in the car, and drive through a couple parks or neighborhoods
to check out their festive light displays.
2) Catch Up With Your High School Friends
Holiday break is the perfect time to connect with friends you haven鈥檛 seen in awhile.
Get the old gang back together at your favorite high school hangout and see what they鈥檝e
been up to.
3) Have a Love Affair with Your Favorite TV Series
There鈥檚 no shame in curling up on the couch by the fireplace and binge watching a
new show on Netflix or Hulu. Lazy days are good for the soul! Better yet, invite your
high school buds and make it a movie night and rewatch some old classics like Harry
Potter or the Lord of the Rings.
4) Channel Your Inner Martha Stewart
Take an afternoon to bake in full holiday fashion. Make some goodies like sugar cookies,
gingerbread cookies, or maybe some banana bread and spread holiday cheer by taking
it to a neighbor.
5) Online Shop
Splurge on a little something with the money you got for the holidays. You deserve
it! With all the money you saved through your scholarships and low tuition at UCM,
you鈥檒l have even more to go around! Be sure to check out after-Christmas sales so
your gift cards and cash can go farther for what you really want. The UCM Bookstore
has a lot of fun gear too, so grab some swag and show your UCM Pride!
6) Spend Time With Family
Nothing will mean more to your parents or grandparents (or even siblings) than you
wanting to spend time with them. Winter break is a great time to tell them about your
school year and see what they鈥檝e been up to while you鈥檝e been away.
7) Play in the Snow
Channel your inner child and head outside with some friends to build a snow fort.
It鈥檚 the little things in life that create the best memories.
8) Volunteer
You鈥檝e got some extra time on your hands, so why not give back? UCM believes in a
culture of service, and our Mules and Jennies are known for their commitment to the
community! Head to your local soup kitchen or animal shelter and donate your time
helping others. You鈥檒l be surprised at how good you鈥檒l feel while making a difference
in your community.
9) Take a Road Trip
Just because it鈥檚 not summer doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 grab a friend, an AUX cord and
hit the open road. Pro tip: Take your mom or dad and make their day. Just be careful
in slippery driving conditions!
10) Sleep in!
Chances are, between work and school, it鈥檚 been awhile since you鈥檝e been able to hit
that snooze button. Better yet, don鈥檛 set an alarm at all! Take advantage of your
time off and get all the zzz鈥檚 you can handle while enjoying every luxurious moment!