Kate Couch/The Broadside
Stay active
In the winter months, especially during quarantine, it can be really easy to lock yourself in your bedroom, binge-watching the Queen’s Gambit until you realized that your Zoom meeting was an hour ago and Christmas break ended yesterday. So even though it’s important to take some time to relax, make sure you’re going outside. Mount Bachelor is still open, winter hikes are an amazing experience and Bend Oregon has so much to offer in terms of winter activities.
Pick up a new hobby
With winter break being the longest break during the year it’s a great time to try something new. There are lots of easy hobbies that you can pick up despite the new lockdown. Try baking, you could make your favorite Christmas cookies. Try painting, with pastels or gouache paints. There’s no time like the present to pick up a new instrument like the ukulele, guitar and keyboard. With the help of some YouTube tutorials, you will be able to play your favorite Christmas songs before the end of the year.
Read a book
Reading is something that’s super important that can further your language comprehension skills and inspire you to create an entire world within your imagination. Reading will keep you sharp and ready for the winter term. There are a lot of great book options that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire break. If you want to know The Broadside teams’ favorite books, click here.
Make a plan
It’s tempting to turn in your last final and be done with school for a couple of weeks. This habit might not help you in the long run. While on winter break it’s important to make sure you’re planning for your next classes, by making sure you’re registered for the right classes, reading through syllabi, emailing your teachers if you have any questions, gathering supplies, and ordering textbooks. These things will help you be prepared for the next term while minimizing your stress as it approaches.
Get your sleep
It’s important to get lots of sleep over winter break so you’re well-rested and rejuvenated for the next term. It’s also important not to have a crazy sleep schedule. Keeping a sleep schedule similar to what you would have during school will help you have an easier transition into the winter term. Johns Hopkins actually has done lots of sleep studies over the years and found the constancy is key. Read more about that here. Making sure you’re going to bed at a reasonable time and waking up at a consistent time every day will help you transition into winter term much smoother.
Make goals
Before 2021 comes, take some time to reflect on how you’ve grown and changed in 2020. Make some goals for 2021 even if they are small. Make a variety of goals that have to do with personal, educational, extracurricular, and work. This way there are goals in all aspects of your life. Having a goal-driven life will keep you motivated, happy and healthy.
Let’s make winter term a great one. Remember COCC has tons of resources if you’re struggling financially, emotionally or mentally.
