Ideas for Semester Break Activities

So, it's that time of year again. The time of year that college and some high school students wait so anxiously for, just for it to slip away in a matter of weeks. That's right ladies and gentlemen, I am talking about winter break. Now, although many students have jobs which can limit their semester break enjoyment, and few still take a class or two during the break, that does not mean that you cannot enjoy your break by any means. Here are a couple of suggestions for those of you who are on break right now, and if you are not then maybe you can try some of these activities sometime (all of these suggestions can apply to any person on break in general, but this is a little more limited to those who live in the Bay Area):

1) If you usually work in the morning during semester breaks, chances are that your only chance for enjoyment is going to come during the afternoon to early to mid evening. If this is you, you don't have as many options as those who can afford to put sleep aside, but one option you have is miniature golfing. Yes, that's right. Of course, there are some of us out there who just feel the need to be competitive (including myself), but this game is meant to be fun! Not only is it fun, it's not that expensive ($11.99 per person for TWO 18-hole courses on weekends before 5, and $7.99 a person on weekdays before 4). Look, you know you would rather spend +/- $10.00 on golfing than a movie (that you're not sure is going to be good).

2) Go see a movie! Okay, I know I mentioned previously that you should probably spend ten bucks on golfing instead of a movie. But look at it this way: if there's a movie that looks really funny or interesting to you, you should definitely go see it right away, because chances are that it will only be in theaters for a few weeks (you can go golfing any time).

3) Go ice skating. Okay, okay, this might not be a very cool thing to propose to the fellas for you gentlemen, but if you can make it a group thing with girls, then it's a great thing to try. It's $11.75 a person right now at Logitech Ice (in San Jose on South 10th Street) and you can really skate for as long as you want, as long you start a while before the public skating sessions end.

4) Go to the snow! Alright now this might seem a little expensive to some of you, and the fact is that it really is only IF you want to ski or snowboard (and do not own skis or a snowboard). After talking to a friend of mine this past week, I've learned that there are a few parks (mainly in the Lake Tahoe area for those who live in the Bay Area) in which you would only pay around a $10 entry fee to be able to ride sleds and just mess around in the snow. This is perfect for those who don't wish to snowboard or ski because this lets you enjoy the snow without having to really do anything you don't want to do. Of course, you would have to lodge there unless you have a burning desire to get home right away, but if you can afford it, it's definitely worth it.

5) Go workout. Some of you might already do this, but for those of you who don't, please do. Look, I know first hand how tough it is stay mentally motivated to keep working out, but trust me, if I can do it, you can too! I've weighed as much as 215 pounds and now I weigh 165, with the biggest weight cut being a loss of 30 pounds from February 2007 to April 2007 (no mistype there, it really took just 3 months). Nutrition and exercise is a huge part of feeling good not only physically, but mentally as well, and everyone needs some type of exercise, no matter how big or small they might be.

6) Go do something for people in need. Now if you don't have the time, but got the money, then donate a little, it doesn't have to be much, a dollar can literally make a difference in a needy person's life. It's the holiday season so go out there and be Santa for somebody. You can volunteer at a homeless shelter and help feed them, join a Big Brother type program where you can counsel and guide children, or if you can't do either of those things, you can easily donate canned foods (or any kind of food for that matter) to Second Harvest Food Bank. Your thought and generosity can and will light up someone's day, so go out there and make someone feel good.

I know some of these things might be as some might say "a given," but these are only suggestions. There are MILLIONS of things you can do. Play video games, dance at clubs, sleep or do drugs (I seriously hope your winter break doesn't come down to this). Like I said, I'm trying this blog thing out for fun, and I'm just sharing my thoughts with you because writing is actually enjoyable for me. Thanks for reading. Happy Winter Break and good luck on finals!