The first semester is over, and the second semester has just begun. Between the two- we had three weeks off of school for winter break. This gave us time to recover from finals and have time to ourselves. Also, during this time, many people celebrate the holidays, participate in seasonal activities, and relax with family and friends. I wanted a better look into how our students spent their break and what they most enjoyed. I asked some of our students and got insight on what their winter break consisted of.
What they spent the most doing
With all this extra time and no worrying about school, students can take this chance to learn new things. One respondent said she spent her time playing the piano and improving upon those piano skills. If not learning anything new, others took the chance to freshen up on something they already knew how to do. That included playing video games- the most popular activity students enjoyed. Some sports activities don’t stop during this time, not even during winter break.
One of our respondents says that the activity she spent the most time doing was wrestling. Outside school teams, some sports are played for fun, like soccer, which another respondent says he spent the most time doing. There are also less active pastimes you can relax with. A good idea is reading, especially in this weather- you can curl up with a blanket and your current read and call it a day. If you want an even more relaxing evening, you can do the same but with a good show or seasonal movie.
Seasonal Activities
A great way to get into the mood of winter is to try seasonal activities. That can range from holiday-related to just drinking some hot cocoa. Ice skating was a favorite among people, especially with many nearby, like in Dos Lagos, Frosty’s Village, and Irvine Spectrum Center. Leaning toward the holiday, our students say they decorated their Christmas trees. That often involves spending quality time with your family and viewing the result together. Many enjoyed having a seasonal hot cocoa drink and snacking on cookies, some even homemade. Winter is also Rose Bowl Parade season; our Band of Santiago Sharks was invited to join the 135th Rose Parade.
The break gave our sharks time to travel and see new places. Most students mentioned having traveled south; that includes places like Arizona and, more popularly, Las Vegas, Nevada. There is a better feel for the winter weather in these desert areas. A respondent, Truman R., reported different weather conditions from Huntington Beach: “It never got too cold despite being late December.” Respondent Giovanna N. visited Solvang, a Danish town here in California. During the winter, they have many decorations up, and they also have a Julefest. She says, “I strongly recommend going to Solvang because it was a very relaxing experience.”
When speaking of winter, you can’t forget the holidays. Our students spend this time in a variety of ways. An essential part of the holidays for respondents is family- with whom they spent this time. Another memorable aspect for responders seemed to be the presents, whether they were those they gave or received; they were a significant part of their holiday experience. Besides the gifts, decorations are also a big part of the holiday spirit. Responder Kimmie G. says she “saw pretty lights on the neighborhood houses.” Holiday traditions are also a significant part of the fun; Kimmie G. adds, “It’s a tradition to wear match pjs for my family, and this year my boyfriend was included.”
From the many things, I wanted to know what students’ favorite part of the winter break was. Out of all responses, the holidays came to be many of the respondents’ favorite parts of their winter break. Many say their favorite part was getting to have time off of school and being able to sleep in. Others enjoyed their time out with their travels and the new places they visited. No matter how our sharks spent their winter break, they were able to recharge and are ready for the second semester.
