Winter break: The second-best break

There are several breaks over the course of an academic year which allow for time away from the stress of studying and writing papers. While each break has certain benefits, there are some that allow for more flexibility to do activities unrelated to academics; winter break does just that and is the second-best of the breaks as a result. 

Seeing as the winter break by far is the longest of the allotted time away from class (excluding summer), it allows for plenty of enjoyment. Perhaps one of the most obvious aspects of enjoying break is Christmas. This is definitely a large portion of people’s favorite holiday, and with good reason, as there are plenty of enjoyable aspects that come with it. Even when the last final concludes on Dec. 20, there are still 5 days to watch Christmas movies, listen to Christmas music, open presents, and so much more. 

Along with Christmas, the length of this holiday allows for a student to do so much. Within the month, some people chose to leave the state or even the country. Where some breaks are less than a week and you can already imagine yourself back in a classroom the second you leave, the winter break leaves you with a seemingly never-ending time frame to work with. While it sometimes feels as if the break is never going to end, it isn’t until returning back to the grind of work that it’s possible to truly appreciate a time in which you’re essentially responsible for nothing, at least school-related.

When we leave for this break it will be 2022, and when we return it will be 2023, and this allows for a fresh start. While there are some people who believe New Year’s resolutions are pointless and that a person can start a new habit whenever they choose, there is something refreshing about seeing a new number that allows for a new beginning. If someone struggled in the fall semester, perhaps the new year can be a motivator to do better in the spring. 

For many students, the academic aspect of the winter break that is most worth looking forward to, for better or worse, is the submission of final grades. Over the course of the entire semester students want to see what their grades look like, and once the final deadlines hit, there is a massive relief. And seeing as this doesn’t occur too deep into winter break, there is a reduction of worrying.

With a break that involves several holidays within its time block, as well as an extended time to engage in recreational activities, there is plenty to appreciate. Seeing as we’re only a little over a week until the official end of this semester, there is real excitement in the air, and in a short time, we will reach the second-best break.