It’s every student’s nightmare and favorite time of year: winter. It means the longest break before summer, but also the looming finals before you can sit back and relax.
This break, however, don’t spend it rotting away on your phone. Here are some ideas to rest mindfully, and enjoy the season’s greatest joys!
First things first: take a break from school. Unless you’re assigned a stack of homework, put your backpack in your closet and take a break.
According to Research.com, academic pressure is the #1 stressor for high school students, especially during final exam season. During winter break, you should take as much time off as you need to recover.
A fun way to relax this break is to go see a production of the Nutcracker! If you’ve never seen it before, The Nutcracker ballet follows the magical story of a young girl on Christmas Eve who receives a nutcracker that comes alive at night from her godfather. The nutcracker asks her to join him on his quest to seek the evil Mouse King for a battle.
Many productions are going on around the holidays, but the Joffrey Ballet’s production is one of the top-rated in Chicago. Joffrey Ballet highly encourages buying tickets through the official website to avoid scams and overpaying. Tickets range from $64-$329.
For more local productions, Schaumburg Dance Ensemble is putting on the Nutcracker Prairie Center for the Arts from Dec. 4-14 at varying times, and tickets range from $35-$53. For more information, visit https://www.prairiecenter.org/programs/season-of-arts-entertainment/nutcracker.
If you’re more interested in getting more Instagram-worthy pictures in the snow, Christkindlmarket is in full swing!
According to the official website, Christkindlmarket is an outdoor market that “unites cherished German and European tradition with international flair and local charm.”
Christkindlmarket is only open during the holiday season, and has European gift shops and delectable German food and beverages for sale. They have two markets: one in Daley Plaza and another in Wrigleyville.
After, you can make it a day trip by going to the Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon. Only eight minutes away from the Christkindlmarket location in Daley Plaza, Maggie Daley Park’s ice skating rink is in the unique shape of a ribbon.
Although reservations are required and tickets are $21, many people say it’s worth the wait and pay. “The Christmas music playing and the beauty of the lights of the city make this all the more magical,” one reviewer said.
For more information, go to https://maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/skating-ribbon/.
There are many activities you can do this winter break without paying too. Go sledding with your friends by the hill by Mundelein’s Recreation Center, volunteer and give back at your local Feed My Starving Children, or stop by the Fremont Public Library for any of their fun and free events!