Winter Break: Blink and You’ll Miss It

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Though scientists say that tachyons are some of the only things in this universe to move faster than light, I’d offer that winter break for college students moves just as fast if not faster than these theorized particles. This momentary respite from the busy life of an engineering student at USC allowed me time to refocus, recharge, and relax. Keep reading to hear about some of my favorite parts of break, and what I did without classes and homework for four weeks!

After being away from home for more than four months, it was great to be back in my own bed, eating home cooked meals, and spending a lot of my time just lounging around. I love spending time with my family, and I was able to make many memories with both my immediate and extended family. One of my holiday traditions is baking Christmas cookies with my grandma, an occurrence that was made even more momentous by the fact that this year I was able to crack the eggs without getting the shell in the yolk (shout out to a semester of cooking in college for preparing me for baking).

And, of course, I spent as much time as possible with my white lab, Scout. Every time I’m away for long periods of time, I miss my dog more than almost anything. I’d say more about him, but I think a picture is worth a thousand words instead.

It was also refreshing to catch up with my friends from home. With three semesters of college under all our belts, we were able to swap stories about our adventures and new friends, and talk about what our futures hold for us. I even caught up with people I hadn’t hung out with since the end of high school, and it was incredibly refreshing to see some of my best friends after so much time apart. Though I won’t be back in Omaha until next winter, I’m already counting down the days until I see them again (thank goodness for group FaceTime calls)!

Now I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I spent a lot of break catching up on various T.V. shows that I’d fallen behind on during the school year, and bingeing some new ones. Two new shows that I especially enjoyed were Homecoming and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (both on Amazon Prime). I’d highly recommend both of them! Homecoming is a drama about a clandestine military program and stars Julia Roberts as a woman attempting to unravel her past with the program. It’s super intriguing and fast-paced! If you’re looking for a show that made me laugh out loud countless times, cry at least twice, and feel inspired, watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I watched it with my family, and we all fell in love with it. The show follows a woman in 1950s New York pursuing a career in stand-up comedy, and navigating the expectations and obstacles for women at the time.

Though I spent Christmas in Omaha, I spent the last week and a half of break with my family in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. My entire family loves to surf, so we spent our time there surfing every day, doing yoga, and enjoying some quality family time. I surfed several times a day (sometimes as early as 6:00 AM), and really improved my surfing skills. I even almost got in a barrel! I’ll definitely remember some of the waves I surfed for a long time to come, and I’m excited to be able to surf more this semester. It was one of the most fun trips I’ve ever been on, and I’m glad I got to end 2018 and start 2019 on a beach.

It feels like winter break was only a few seconds long; it went way too fast and I’m already back on the grind. Classes have started picking up quickly, and I know it’ll be a very busy semester for me. Keep checking back for updates on my semester, and as always, fight on!

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