This week was stressful; next week is going to be just as stressful and, on top of that, brain-numbing. No part of me whatsoever is excited for a three-hour physics exam, except for the fact that when that exam is over, my first semester of college is done. I have not been home since before orientation week, so the idea of sitting on the couch trying to steal the TV remote from my 15-year-old brother is fueling me towards the end.
While I cannot wait to sleep in and have zero responsibilities, I have already crafted a list of things to do over break. It is aptly named “50 Things to do After Surgery.” (It might be appropriate to mention that I am having ACL reconstructive surgery over break, yuck). The list has grown every day since its inception – it now has 58 items. I don’t want to brag, but it’s kind of an awesome list.
Watch Disney movies. The days following surgery are going to suck, except that I am going to have the most epic Disney movie marathon. I won’t bother with any of the new 3D stuff. Nope, it’s just classic 2D movies like “The AristoCats” and “Pocahontas” – my two personal favorites. The suspense is killing me. I just want to get home and take a trip down memory lane while singing to Disney songs.
Plan the rest of my academic life. After playing mix-and-match to get my spring semester in order, I am inspired to schedule my next three years of classes at Case. Once my SIS shopping cart is full, I will begin to think bigger and look further down the track. South Africa and India seem like awesome places to study abroad, but I really want to intern at the National Olympic Committee. But then, how prestigious would it be to become a Rhodes Scholar or even a Fulbright?
Get started on MATLAB. I want to be as productive as possible over break and I know that next semester will be considerably more stressful, so I may as well get a head start. The early bird gets the worm, right? As long as the worm is an A, then the earlier I get an understanding of computer engineering the better.
Plan summer vacations. I’ll admit it, I like to plan. So this winter I am going to research exotic places to go visit that are cheap enough that I can afford and safe enough that my parents will give me permission. If anyone knows a winning combination of foreign, affordable, and safe, I am all ears.
Collect magazines and collage. To give my mind a break from planning and working ahead, I am going to steal magazines from my friends and make really cool, themed collages. Maybe I will personalize them and give them as belated Christmas presents?
Make a gift for my cousin’s wedding. This April my cousin is getting married in Australia; my whole family is going to be there, except me (thank you bad spring break timing and whoever created the CWRU academic calendar). Since I will be absent physically, I am going to have a huge spiritual presence by making a thoughtful, awesome, handmade wedding gift.
Bonfire reunion. It has been a really, really long time since I saw my friends from home. So I am proposing a reunion at my house, and it’s going to be epic because there will be a bonfire. Yes, I live in Wisconsin and it will probably be cold and snowy, but our friendship coupled with the fire will warm our hearts!
Play FIFA. My family never had gaming systems until a month ago when my brother bought an Xbox, which is kind of a big deal. I usually have no desire to play Xbox but my sibling competiveness has been sparked. My brother outgrew me this year and I will not let him be victorious on the FIFA front too. Let it be known that while my brother is at high school, I will be home improving my skills with scrimmages and drills. X to cross, B to shoot, GOAL!
The above eight items are merely a taste of my winter break. I promise you and myself that I will not spend my winter break sleeping, watching TV, and wearing my pajamas until late afternoon. My first college winter break is going to be productive and exciting. My “50 Things to do after Surgery” list and I wish your winter break will be as awesome as ours, and, of course, “Happy Holidays!”