Winter break is coming, and students have a lot of plans for how to spend their time off. 

Kareemah Martin, a senior television and video production major, said her plans were to just chill at home as much as possible. 

“I am going to sleep every single day that I possibly can; I am going to sleep,” Martin said. “I think that’s really all I have planned.”

Dorothy Wrausmann, a sophomore studio art major, said her plans were to catch up with family and the most recent box office hits.  

“I’ll probably go and visit family and probably see some movies that have come out recently,” she said.

Kaela Ray, a sophomore exercise science major, said she had plans to balance her time to relax and do some volunteer work.

“Well, aside from doing some community service projects, I just plan on relaxing and being at home,” she said.

Kymoni Dixon, a sophomore exercise science major said that she was just going home for the holidays.

“Not much, just seeing friends and family and people that I miss,” Dixon said. “Just going back to Chicago, but I won’t be going anywhere.”

A lot of students have plans to travel around the country and even out of the country for the holiday break. 

Ray said she was going to Texas to do some community service and spend time with family.

“I’m going to spend a couple of days in Texas visiting family, and my sister who lives out there does this clothing drive, so I’ll be out there helping her with that,” Ray said.

Martin said that she was escaping the winter weather by going off to Los Cabos, Mexico.

Wrausmann said that she was traveling to St. Louis to see family.

The holidays also bring up a lot of traditions with family and friends

Ray said her family spends Christmas day together giving gifts and watching movies.

“It’s funny because our family isn’t really into the decorating thing,” she said. “On Christmas day we all sit around and tell each other stories and do a family photo thing, and then we drink hot chocolate, watch movies and open gifts like any other family.”

Dixon said her family spends time together making and eating Christmas treats and watching a Christmas movie.

“We go to my grandma’s house on Christmas, and Christmas eve is at my house, and we bake cookies and stuff, make smores and watch the ‘Polar Express,’” Dixon said. 

Wrausmann said her family tradition was putting up and decorating the Christmas tree.

Martin said she started her own Christmas tradition this year.

“I actually just changed one of our traditions, because on Thanksgiving we have Thanksgiving food, of course, but then on Christmas we would have Thanksgiving food, and I was like, ‘I don’t like that,’” she said. “So I said, ‘How about we do some kind of jerk food or some kind of Mexican food?’ Our Christmas is like tacos, salsa (and) quesadillas, so that’s a tradition I’ve started.”

Some students also have plans to do some volunteer work on their time off. 

Martin said she was looking forward to going back to the non-profit she works at and seeing everyone there.

“My kids have a big Christmas party,” Martin said. “I work for a not-for-profit organization. We have a staff party, and I get to see everyone. I love getting to go back home and see everyone has grown or how they look different.”

Ray said she has more than one volunteer opportunity this holiday break.

“We do a Christmas toy drive, and also a few clothing drives for the homeless, of course, because you know it’s winter and it’s getting cold,” Ray said. “Then we do something with my church the day of Christmas, and then there are a few things in January before we come back to school, so you know, might as well get into the holiday spirit by doing some service.”

Allison Little can be reached at 581-2812 or aclittle2@eiu.edu.