How to make the most of your winter break — 'enjoy yourselves and be safe!'

My fellow Concordians: we did it! Another term has come and gone, and the winter break is upon us. Now that our last exams are written and assignments submitted, we can get excited about our time off.

But without school work to think about, what will occupy our time? If you’re looking for ways to make the most of your winter break, the Welcome Crew mentors have you covered! To spark some inspiration, I sat down with a few of my teammates to find out how they enjoy spending their holiday season.

Mentor tip #1: Give yourself a break!

“You’ve finished the term! Now you can let yourself be lazy and recharge. Give yourself a break. You’ve worked really hard — it’s okay to sleep in and take a day for yourself. Yes, it’s important to prepare for the next term, but remember that this is your time to regain some energy to put into the months ahead!” — Aya, BComm, Major Human Resources

Mentor tip #2: Go travelling!

“Get out of Montreal and travel. Toronto and New York are just a short flight or bus ride away, and Mont Tremblant, Vermont and Ottawa are great in the winter. You can also look for cheap train rides or ride-shares to get there affordably. So take advantage of the time off and check out a new city!” — Jennifer, BFA, Theatre

Mentor tip #3: Check items off your personal to-do list

“Studying for finals can be stressful and personal tasks usually take a backseat. During this break, make sure you check off all of the things you said you would do, but didn’t have the time for. Book that appointment, buy those shoes you wanted, make some good meals, sleep! Take this break as an opportunity to declutter — get rid of everything that’s been piling up and start fresh for the new year and upcoming term!” — Cristen, BSc, Specialization in Biology

Mentor tip #4: Be active and have fun!

“You can now be more active and enjoy your free time with no added stress of assignments and deadlines. Catch up with friends, enjoy some family time or take a trip outdoors to do winter activities like skating or skiing. Or, if you’re not feeling too active, there’s nothing wrong with chilling on the couch with some hot chocolate!” — Salma, BA, Child Studies

“Spend time playing sports over the break! I plan to use my time to squeeze in as many swimming workouts as I can, since I missed quite a few trainings during the term due to school work.” — Hesham, MEng, Civil Engineering

Mentor tip #5: Work on your professional development

“If you’re feeling productive, you can start working on creating or polishing your resume, cover letter or LinkedIn profile! Recruitment events tend to start early in the winter term, so getting this all done beforehand will help you feel that much more prepared for when it happens. You can also start shopping for these events on Boxing Day! Take advantage of holiday deals to stock up on business attire in preparation for networking.” — Amanda, BComm, Accountancy

Final mentor tip: Play smart!

My mentor tip is to not only play hard, but to play SMART! Be mindful and be proactive. Sure, stay up late to binge-watch all the Netflix shows on your must-see list (which is what I’ll be doing), but just remember that next term will be here sooner than you think.

Take the week before school starts again to get your sleep schedule back to normal. You don’t want to start the new term tired already! Use a few days during the break to mentally prepare: familiarize yourself with your winter schedule, figure out where your classes will be, read up on your professors. You can even brush up on your course topics and get a head start on your books or at least get your school supplies ready.

Whatever you choose to do during your break, enjoy yourselves and be safe. Happy holidays, and we look forward to seeing you all in the new year! — Antonia, MEnv, Environmental Assessment

Find out more about Concordia’s Student Success Centre.