Staying on Campus Over the Winter Break? Take Advantage of the Opportunity! (Copy)
Photo by Maria Shanina on Unsplash
So, you’re staying on campus for the holidays or the Winter Break.
But who says you can’t enjoy yourself when you’re far away from family?
Take advantage of the time and resources to make it fun AND educational!
Road Trip Time!
Would you love to visit a winery? See what all the fuss is about at Yellowstone National Park? Take in the tastes and sounds of New Orleans with its Cajun cuisine and alligator-infested swamps? Or visit a ghost town from the bygone days of the Wild West?
Then a road trip is for you!
A road trip is when you travel a long distance, usually by car, to see sights and do fun things throughout the journey. It’s meant to be enjoyable and adventurous!
If you’ve ever seen the movie Elizabethtown, Drew Baylor (played by Orlando Bloom) goes on a road trip near the end of the movie. He has a playlist of favorite tunes that he listens to while driving and he has specific stops he makes to see and do memorable things. And yes! In the end he meets up with a beautiful young woman (played by Kirsten Dunst) and a new romance starts!
Why not go on a road trip with some of your friends? Decide where you guys want to go, plan the stops you guys want to make and the sights everyone wants to see, make a special road trip playlist of your favorite tunes, pack snacks and essentials, and have your own mini-adventure!
Get Curious About How Americans Spend Their Holidays!
Ever wonder what Christmas and Hanukkah are all about?
This is the time to explore and find out!
You could read books like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or watch the romantic movie Mistletoe & Menorahs to learn more about Christmas and Hanukkah that are celebrated around the holiday season.
Or you could…go out and experience it!
Accept an invitation to join friends for the holidays.
Give gifts to people you care about.
Buy your own holiday decorations and spruce up your space.
Try foods like gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate with marshmallows, warm apple cider, loukoumades, challah and latkes—all while playing songs like “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, “We Three Kings” and “Oy Chanukah, Oy Channukah”.
Try your hand at making a Christmas stocking or your own menorah!
Whatever you decide to do, there’s loads of opportunities all around you to experience the different holiday traditions this time of year.
Develop Skills and Add to Your Resume—Through Volunteering!
There are many churches and not-for-profit organizations that would sincerely love the extra help you can give at this time of year.
Consider checking out organizations in your area like:
Animal shelters
Animal adoption centers
Foodbanks
Homeless Shelters
Disaster Relief organizations
Local Faith organizations
Library and Community Centers
See if you can volunteer in an organization related to your field of study, like marketing, accounting, or healthcare. It’s a perfect opportunity to give back and develop your skills even further while sprucing up your resume!
If You Live in the New York City Area, Check Out This Volunteer Opportunity!
One To World creates face-to-face experiences among local communities, international students and Fulbright scholars—and they’re non-profit!
They’re hosting a number of activities this season.
So, if you live in the NYC area, check out their list of events.
Schedule a Free Call with Me!
If you’re an international student who’s feeling overwhelmed during the holidays and struggling to build a strong support network in the U.S., schedule a free 30-minute call with me!
About The Author
Many years ago I came to the U.S. from Taiwan and studied in a field that rarely accepted “fresh off the boat” international students from non-English speaking countries. I’m Dr. Vivi Hua, Psy.D. and I help international students navigate the cross-cultural aspects of their experience in the U.S., so they can succeed academically and socially and build a life and career that they desire!