The best part about the beginning of the new year is being granted a bevy of three-day weekends. In the first two months of 2017, students are blessed with a total of four long weekends. In addition to taking most of the weekend to decide what you’re actually going to do, here’s advice what to do and what to avoid doing over your long weekends:
THINGS TO DO:
Catch up on sleep: Treat yourself to a good night’s sleep. We all owe ourselves a nice 10-hour sleep for three whole days. Actually getting more than six hours of rest could be one of the best gifts you receive this holiday season.
Go on a hike on the canal: One of the most underrated activities is going on a walk on the C&O canal. Whether you choose Great Falls or Tobytown, both are only 20 minutes away from school and both provide a serene escape from the pressures of school.
Go to the outlets: Holiday weekends bring holiday sales. With the opening of the Clarksburg outlets, we are that much closer to being able to shop at our favorite stores at a discounted price.
See a movie: There’s nothing like going out to get dinner and seeing a movie with friends. Go to the movies at the upscale Pike and Rose, a fairly new theatre that allows you to lie down while you watch your movie. Or, stay home and host a movie night: you will save a lot of money on popcorn.
Go skiing/snowboarding: The long weekends almost feel like a small vacation. We are surrounded by so many ski resorts that aren’t that far of a drive. Escape Potomac and head out to Liberty Mountain, Deep Creek or Whitetail.
THINGS NOT TO DO:
Head downtown during the day: Especially during the Inauguration and President’s Day weekend, DC is going to be packed with tourists wearing fanny packs and ‘I Heart DC’ shirts. While it may be nice to get out of MoCo, DC is not the place to go, unless you’re looking to walk slowly behind people trying to find their way around the city.
Procrastinate homework: While three-day weekends are a blessing for those suffering from end of second quarter blues, they are a curse in disguise. Having more than enough time to do your homework can cause one to push it all off until the last minute. My advice: do as much as you can at the beginning of the weekend so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself once you finish.

Julia Stern

Social Media Editor