By Lux Sheplee, Staff Writer
December is a month full of excitement, especially for River Hill High School students. Not only is it the holiday season, but winter break is a time many students look forward to. A pause from the stress of school gives students time to spend with family and friends, and celebrate various holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the New Year. As the weather gets cooler and the season changes to winter, a variety of activities become more popular among students.
A very popular winter activity is skiing or snowboarding. Many families, such as sophomore Karina Lynn’s, take a trip every winter to a ski slope. Karina explains, “my favorite winter activity is skiing when it snows, I go to Pennsylvania with my family every year. I like going up the ski lift to the highest mountain and skiing down.” While Maryland did not receive much snow last year, this winter season is reported to yield several inches throughout January and February. Hitting the slopes will be a great option this season with the snowier than average conditions this year.
Another outdoor activity perfect for this winter season is sledding. Many teens avoid going outside in the winter time, but playing in the snow can be a great alternative to sitting inside when bored. Junior Bella Hildreth is an advocate for this venture, describing, “the winter activity I enjoy the most is sledding when it snows, because I love playing in the snow. I like sledding with my friends, and sometimes my family all go sledding together.”
Zoe Pachoca, a junior, also enjoys embracing the outdoors during winter. She details, “My favorite winter activity is ice skating because it’s really fun. It’s a winter tradition I have with my cousin; we go every year.” There are both indoor and outdoor skating rinks for this activity, and it is great for dates, family time, or to hang out with friends.
In contrast, other students prefer the warmth and comfort of the indoors. Sophomore Brooke Blakeslee explains, “My favorite winter activity is roasting chestnuts, they taste really good and I get to spend time with my family.” Chestnuts only take about 15-20 minutes to roast in the oven and can be a great snack. When looking for things to do over winter break, consider roasting some chestnuts or baking as a fun activity.
Similarly, senior Bethel Bruk prefers an indoor and less active winter day. Bethel states, “watching Christmas movies with my family is my favorite winter activity.” There are many Christmas classics to choose from including Home Alone, A Christmas Story, and A Christmas Carol. Watching Christmas movies can provide family fun and create memories that will last much longer than the two hour showing.
There are a variety of activities that students can enjoy participating in this winter. Whether bored during the break or looking for something fun to do with friends, the activities mentioned above provide lots of opportunities for excitement.