Christmas break is one of the most anticipated times of year for a college student. Sleep, seeing family, resting from daily assignments and studying—these are just a few of the activities that grace Christmas break. Yet once Christmas time comes to end, and the new year is well underway, break can become a little…boring? Dare I say?

In order to avoid feeling lazy and unproductive, here are a few activities to turn to when winter break becomes slower than usual.

1. Christmas Cinema- get together with some friends, or family, or your cat, and turn on a Christmas movie! Get some warm snacks like popcorn or hot chocolate, a fuzzy blanket, and a classic Christmas movie. Even if Christmas is over, it doesn’t have to be for that two-hour period!

2. Get in the Kitchen- feeling productive can largely come from seeing something you make or create. That being said, get in the kitchen and whip up some cookies, some dinner, or something new you’ve never tried to make before! Best part: you get food out of it.

3. Thrift Your Room- going through your old clothes and belongings with the goal of cleaning them out and donating them is one of the most cleansing activities you can do. Get rid of all the clothes that do not fit, or that you do not wear as much, and donate them to someone that will. A local thrift store or Goodwill is a good place to start—plus, your room, and closet, will be less cluttered.

4. Write it Out- maybe you hate writing. But writing, whether or not you agree, is therapeutic. Reflect or project on some paper: reflect on the past year, who were you, and who did you become, in 2016? Project for the year to come: what are some goals or projects you have for yourself in 2017? Even if it turns out to be a bullet point list, writing out some of your thoughts helps you feel productive.

5. Color- yes, just give into the craze and try it. There are so many different kinds of coloring books: based on movies, games, books, likes, hobbies. There should be one that even remotely interests you. And when you find one, go color in it! Coloring is something to do, and, again, it is therapeutic.

6. Sleep- sleep is so important for a college student. For your brain, your body, your soul. Take at least one day to leave your alarm off and just sleep until you wake up. It will be much needed.

7. Be Santa for a Day- out of the goodness of your heart, buy or make a gift for someone! Be Santa, and surprise them. Surprises are refreshing. Plus, giving a random gift—especially past Christmas—shows you’re thinking of them. (Try to give a gift to someone you may have skipped over for Christmas).

8. Mall Walk- walking around malls, just window shopping, is actually a lot of fun. Perusing Game Stop and messing with the video games, making fun of the products in As Seen on TV, smelling the fragrances in Macy’s, and sitting in the massage chairs without the massage feature are all fun activities that you can do with someone, for free. Just walk around the mall, and leave your wallet at home!

9. People Watch- in addition to walking around the mall, watch people. No, not in a creepy way where you hide behind the potted plants, but in the food court or on a park bench. Watching people is one of the most entertaining, and understated, activities someone could do. And it’s free.

10. Meet Jesus- perhaps the most important thing you can do this break is spend time with the One who gave his life for you. Listen to worship music, read His word, and meet with Him in prayer. God longs to spend time with you, and is providing you with the slowness of break to do so.