Features

Top 10 Ways to Spend Winter Break

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor • December 13, 2012

Winter break is quickly approaching and the countdown has officially begun. An entire week off from the hectic halls of Staples High School is a dream come true for most Staples students. Here’s what they think are the 10 best ways to spend Winter Break:

1. Keep up New Year’s resolutions! Or at least until break is over, because the return to school makes the common resolution of eating healthy ten times harder. It’s those pesky cafeteria cookies…

2. Ice skating at Longshore skating rink. With adequate winter weather gear, ice skating is a blast, and the best part about Longshore is that they have a steaming cup of hot cocoa waiting in their heated sitting area as a reward for all that impressive skating.

3. Braving the sledding hills at Winslow Park. Jack Scott ‘14 says, “I go to Winslow Park every break. It’s a tradition for me and my brother, it will never get old.” Low hanging limbs and packs of unleashed dogs make the experience thrilling.

4. Movies, movies, and more movies. Whether it’s Christmas themed, Hanukkah themed, or even Columbus day themed, any movie will do. Winter break is the time to cuddle up in a favorite blanket, watching as many movies as possible.

5. Rearranging a closet or bedroom. Elizabeth Colwell ‘14 swears, “Although this doesn’t sound very exciting, I do it every break. It’s life saving.” Time is of the essence for Staples students, and having finally gotten it behind them will eliminate stress when it’s time to go back to school.

6. Make a massive fire (with parent or guardian permission, of course). A cozy night spent by the fireplace is unforgettable. Top the night off with a steaming cup of hot cocoa and another movie!

7. Resurrect old video games. Yes, maybe high schoolers seem a little old to be playing Mario Kart for Wii every day, but that’s why the Board of Education gives them Winter Break! They know that there isn’t enough time to play video games with all the school work, so they scheduled a week to catch up on fun. So considerate of them.

8. Repeating the words “egg nog” at a holiday party, according to Cassie Feldman, ‘14, who says, “Try it, it’s fun. Eggnog.”

9. On a beach in the Caribbean. For those who are lucky enough to get away, this time to relax and work on a killer tan is the perfect way to spend break.

10. And lastly, studying for midterms! Ha… no. Any school work or educational material should be completely ignored. Heck, might as well toss it into that cozy fire.

About the Contributor

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor

Claire Quigley ’14 is an opinions editor on Inklings Newspaper. She has many hobbies that include dance, lacrosse, and is an active member of many clubs. Claire’s main focus for the past three years has been giving back to both her own community, and others as well. She has been apart of her church’s youth club for almost three years with many of her friends. This past summer, she had the amazing opportunity to help the less fortunate in the Dominican Republic. Claire and her youth group helped build houses, and teach many children who do not have the opportunity for an education speak English. “Those 10 days changed my life, I felt great each and every day because I knew I was making a difference.” said Quigley ’14. Aside from traveling to the Dominican, Claire and her youth group have also helped locally around Connecticut. She has helped build gardens, feed the homeless, and raise money for causes she believes in. She has put in many hours towards her youth group, and truly believes they are helping the world one project at a time. Besides Claire being a part of her youth group outside of school, she also enjoys writing both outside and inside school. This year Claire will be finishing her third year on Inklings and is excited to write many articles for both the paper and the web. Claire’s favorite article she wrote was “Where do I upload my Pictures?”