After a busy semester, you’re probably ready to shut your brain off, kick your feet back, and catch up on sleep and not wake up until the new year!

I get it. End of the semester crunch is no joke and after a busy season, you deserve a break.

Not only is winter break a time to step away from your busy schedule, but it’s also an excellent opportunity for you to take charge of your learning so that come Spring semester you are ready to rock ’n roll. Winter break goes by in a snap so here are 5 ways that you can most the most of your winter break.

1. Work on a Personal Project

Consider reaching out to a professor to see if there is a special research or outside-of-class project that you could dive into for a few weeks. Not only will this give you the chance to switch up your routine, but you’ll also learn something new and gain valuable experience - both of which will look great as a series of posts on LinkedIn! This will show employers and recruiters that you have the initiative and motivation required for success.

2. Travel to a New Place

Christmas time is an exciting time to visit destinations around the US. Although Christmas traditions may look different in each region, there is still plenty of winter cheer and special activities to enjoy. Some must-experience Christmas destinations in America include places like New York City, San Antonio, and Seattle. In New York City, explore one-of-a-kind holiday decorations in iconic neighborhoods like the Upper East Side or Brooklyn Heights for a festive atmosphere during the winter break season. San Antonio is well known for its Christmas river parade, with Christmas lights illuminating the San Antonio River for a spectacular night show. Also, Seattle offers fun Christmas attractions like gingerbread houses in Pike Place Market as well as outdoor ice skating around its iconic Space Needle monument. Grab some friends and explore!

3. Complete a Certification

Are you looking to build your resume so that come Spring you are ready to hunt for a job? Certifications are a great way to improve your skills and revamp your resume and LinkedIn profile. I’m sure you’ve got a list of certifications that you’d love to pursue, but here are some ideas to get your wheels turning. Not only is the CompTIA A+ certification the most recognized certification in IT but it also carries a lot of weight with employers. An AWS Solutions Architect certification would be especially helpful if you’re looking to work with cloud technology. And lastly, an Oracle Database Administrator certification could prove invaluable if your career goal is to become a database administrator – as Oracle is one of the most popular databases used today. Winter break is the perfect time to start your research on each of these certifications in order to future-proof your employment opportunities.

4. Learn from the pros!

I’ve got two friends that I’d like to introduce to you! The first is Viktoria Semaan (@Viktoria.semaan). She is the EXACT person you need to learn from if you are pursuing an AWS certification. Follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn so that you can learn how to build cloud skills.

Looking to become a data analyst? Check out Alex’s (@alex_the_analyst) YouTube channel where he talks about how he made the career switch to become a data analyst. He also has tons of tutorials on SQL and Python.

These are just two amazing people online who are making some incredible moves in their careers and sharing their expertise with the world!

5. Grow your network

Take advantage of winter break to grow your professional network! There are plenty of networking events and conferences during the winter months that you can attend to meet people in your industry. Not only will those connections help later on when hiring picks up, but you’ll also have fun and learn a lot while you’re connecting with others. Check out local events happening in your city and be willing to step out of your comfort zone. You have no idea how the relationships that you build along the journey will set you up for success for years to come!

By following these tips, you can make the most of your winter break and start the new year off on the right foot. There are so many ways you make the most of your time off, but I hope that this gives you a head start.

So, what are you looking forward to doing this winter break?