Once they are rested, we encourage all students to take advantage of winter break to explore opportunities related to their fields of interest. 

Here are 6 suggestions for how to make the most of winter break:

Pursue Your Passions

Make time to engage in hobbies or independent projects you enjoy, like art, music, sports, writing, cooking, reading, coding, etc. Doing what you love will energize you for the spring semester.

Conduct Informational Interviews

Use your break as a chance to connect with relatives, family friends, or other adults you'll see over vacation. Even if they aren't in careers you're interested in, ask them about their jobs and day-to-day responsibilities. You may be surprised by what you can learn about different fields. Our Guide to Informational Interviewing walks you through how to find people to interview and gives examples of questions you might ask.

Shadow Professionals

Look into shadowing people who work in careers that intrigue you. Observing someone on the job firsthand can help you determine if it's really something you might want to pursue later on.

Take a Practice ACT

If you haven’t already, consider taking a free practice ACT over break to compare your score to how you did on the PSAT. This can help you determine which test plays better to your strengths so you can better target your test prep. Most test prep companies offer free practice tests.

Research Summer Opportunities

Start investigating summer programs, jobs, internships, or volunteer positions that align with your prospective college major or interests. Some programs have early deadlines in January and February. The earlier you start applying and interviewing, the better your chances of landing an exciting summer experience.

Visit Colleges

While it’s ideal to visit colleges when school is in session, walking around a campus can help a student visualize what it would be like there. If you're traveling over break, you may want to take some time to walk around a nearby college, even if there aren’t official tours available. Many colleges offer self-tours you can access on the website. Even if they are not one of your student’s top choices, exploring different colleges can help clarify what environment and offerings they prefer. Don’t overlook colleges in your home city as well! Our Guide to Campus Tours is a helpful resource.