Have a great break!
Make the most of your time off this holiday season
Katie Wotherspoon
Contributor
When your exams are finally over, there’s probably going to be little on your mind other than getting into the holiday spirit — eating, shopping, partying, drinking, eating more, and … did I already say drinking? After all of those hangovers wear off, you are left with a few weeks before school starts. That time can fly by; before you know it, you’ve spent two weeks in your underpants consuming Nutella and half priced Christmas chocolate watching both seasons of Orange is the New Black for the third time. If you want to make the most of those precious days off, check out The Reflector’s handy guide to making the most of your winter break.
Brave the malls
If you received gifts over the holiday season and they weren’t exactly what you were hoping for, it’s okay. You can return them — just make sure that you do so as soon as possible. Lots of stores have special “holiday” return policies and those can be great, but there’s a time limit and it’s usually about a week into January that your time runs out. If you don’t want to be stuck with that “hilarious” bathroom reader that your distant relative bought you, suck it up and get this part over with. You can use the extra cash for better things.
Go sledding
Sledding is one of those activities that there is no age limit to — promise. It is still fun, even as a twenty-something. Just make sure you bundle up, and by bundle I mean booze.
Make a nice batch of boozy hot-chocolate, grab a crazy carpet and head out to the local hill. While you are out there, you may as well make a snowman and in your eventual stupor (boy, that thermos sure did disappear quickly) snow angles are inevitable. Sledding is a fun activity for a big group of friends to do and it is super cheap, depending how strong you’re making that hot-chocolate.
Spend time with family
Some of us love our families and school takes time away from them. Lots of people have time off during this period, so you can take this opportunity to just be with your family without the added stress of everything else. Take time to sit with them to talk and laugh. It’s easy for family time to fall to the bottom of the to-do list, so take this opportunity to let it be a priority.
… or don’t
At this point you’ve buttoned up your best shirt for ample family functions, and forced a fake smile for all the extended family enough times that you are herby granted a “get out of family time free card.” Use it wisely.
Read a book
Remember the last time you had time to read a book that wasn’t a textbook? You were probably being washed in sunlight by a gorgeous Calgary summer, or maybe you were lucky enough to be lying on a beach. Going outside to lounge on the deck and read might lead to a trip to the hospital for frostbite, though, so stay inside instead. Curl up with another rum and eggnog and get lost in a novel for a while.
Get out of town
If you have the funds to scrounge together a last minute trip out of town, do it! Take a couple of friends out to the mountains and spend some time away from the city. Or, if you can travel a little further, head to the States and allow yourself to thaw out a little bit before returning to the brutal Calgary weather. If you can’t spend a few nights out of town, there are plenty of mountain escapes that are just a day trip away: head to Kananaskis for brunch or Banff for a couple Beaver Tails. While school is in, it can be hard to find the time to escape the city limits, so put those student loans to good use and get out of here!
Eat
You have a whole year to complete that New Year’s resolution; the holidays are all about good food, so enjoy it. If you want to eat that entire gingerbread house while sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor, you do it. If another dozen latkes suits your fancy, then grab the applesauce! Whatever you decide to munch on, make sure you find a nice wine to pair it with. You have plenty of time to worry about your calorie intake later, but soon stores will start stocking the Valentine’s Day candy and you will no longer be able to have the same candy-cane rush you’ve grown accustomed to. Enjoy it while you can.
No matter how you choose to spend this coveted time off, make sure you relax and take time for yourself. Even if you do spend your time doing all of these things, make sure you still spend at least a couple days binge watching Orange is the New Black in your underpants. No one will judge you for the Nutella smudges on the corners of your mouth
