As we all know, there are 104 days of summer vacation, but before we get to that, we have 42 days of winter break to tackle.
After the stress from finals week and final exams wears off, it’s almost overwhelming how much free time falls into our laps during break. If you’re someone who thrives in chaos or hasn’t had an empty calendar since the summer, it’s easy to fall into a lazy routine and find comfort in that until the next semester. In reality, this is your time to recharge, find new hobbies, and scratch off items on your to-do list before your schedule grows hectic again.
Here is my list of 25 boredom busters to bring as much whimsy into your break as possible.
- Make a 2026 Vision Board
- Bake Holiday Cookies
- Volunteer at a nonprofit organization
- Go to Hudson Winter’s Farmers Market (January 10 and 24)
- Build a Snowman
- Play the New York Times Games! (Free with Stout login)
- Make a gingerbread house
- Read a book cover to cover
- Attend the Walker Museum in Minneapolis (Free Admission on Thursday Nights)
- Put a puzzle together
- Learn a new instrument
- Visit the Wisconsin Dells Tree of Light (Through January 1st)
- Make a 2025 scrapbook of memories
- Lock into a new workout routine
- Have a Christmas movie marathon
- Go snow tubing at Badlands Sno-Park in Hudson
- Enjoy Christmas Eve Dinner or Day Brunch at Stillwater’s Historic Lowell Inn (Reserve ahead of time!)
- Have a snowball fight
- Send a care package to a soldier through any of the recommended organizations on Military.com
- Visit Lights in the Valley in Eau Claire (Through January 2nd)
- Go skiing or snowboarding
- Attend the Mall of America New Year’s Day brunch
- Go ice skating
- Cook a homemade meal
- Go see a movie at the movie theater! Marcus Theaters has a $5 movie Tuesday deal, and becoming an AMC insider member is free and has discounted movies on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
Whether one or all of these piqued your interest, there are plenty of things to do over this break other than twiddle your thumbs and count down the days until the Spring semester. I hope you have a fun-filled break and stay safe, happy holidays!
