With the long-anticipated Thanksgiving break coming up, students are becoming even more anxious. While some will be making commutes across the country to visit family members and spend the holiday with them, others will be staying in Monument. Even though it may seem like a boring alternative of traveling, fun as well as relaxing activities can be achieved in the small town during the break.

1.      Bake some festive foods

It’s surprising how making a simple dish like pumpkin bread can put one in the holiday mood. Enjoying the seasonal snacks with family members and/or friends in the comfort of one’s home can be an enriching, relaxing way to spend part of the break. The yummy foods will fill homes with pleasant smells that make it feel even more like Thanksgiving. There are cute ideas and recipes at http://spoonful.com/thanksgiving/easy-thanksgiving-appetizers-gallery.

2.      Go hiking

One may as well take advantage of the beautiful, local hiking trails; of course as long as the weather isn’t too crazy that day.

3.      Visit a ski town

If the familiarity and lack of snow in Monument is becoming somewhat taxing, one can pack a simple overnight bag and drive a few hours to a ski resort. The state of Colorado features gorgeous ski resorts that are known for snow abundance and quaint towns with shopping centers, restaurants, and hotels that are conveniently located at the bases of the resorts. Whether a student is aiming to spend a few days of the break in the ski towns just to be somewhere different than Monument or planning to ski/snowboard, the resorts offer both.

4.      Have a Netflix marathon

A possible way to spend the much-needed break could be to catch up on episodes of shows that one hasn’t necessarily had time for in the past few months of school. In order to make use of the “break,” it might be beneficial to curl up in a blanket, hot cocoa in hand, and watch a season or two of an all-time-favorite.

5.      Spend some down time with family

Considering how the first few months of school can take a toll on students, spending at least part of the break unwinding and using the break to really be thankful for the family in one’s life.

6.      Black Friday shopping

Not only is black Friday shopping a beneficial way to acquire some new cute clothes to wear to school when break ends but it’s also a perfect time to get started on buying Christmas presents. The bargains open up opportunities to find great potential gifts for the upcoming holiday for friends and family members. One of the best ways to celebrate Thanksgiving is by thinking of others and possibly even knocking out some of the Christmas present shopping.

7.      Get started on decorations

For a lot of students, as soon as Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to put the tree up; complete with traditional ornaments, beads, and of course the angel to top it off; hang up glittering lights, bake all kinds of holiday foods, and play jolly tunes throughout the house. Getting a head start on the decorations before returning to school on December 2^nd could be the ultimate way to end the break and get in the mood for the upcoming holiday season.

8.      Take some time to devote to studies

Even though this may seem like a bore of a tip, the break time given to students could also be used to either catch up in a subject that one is “lost” in, study for tests that follow in the week after break, or work on homework that is assigned over the break. It’s important to have fun during Thanksgiving break but it’s also very critical not to let the break cause one to lose focus or get behind. Finals are coming up only a few weeks after Thanksgiving break comes to an end.

These tips are meant to help students of LP have an amazing Thanksgiving break; especially if they live in the beautiful town of Monument. There is a multiplicity of activities to engage in during the break and it’s important to have fun and take some time to relax so that when they return, the students are ready to take finals and finish up the first semester of the 2013-2014 school year.