Villanovans from 48 states and 56 foreign countries are heading home for the holidays. While Villanova has done a tremendous job decking the halls and lighting the trees on campus, students are eager for the break after one of the first “real” semesters in a year and a half.

The holiday season looks different for each and every Villanovan. Whether one celebrates Christmas, Kwanzaa or Hanukkah, this time of year is special for all. 

Many families take the extended three-week break as an excuse to pack up the car, or suitcases, for a family vacation. 

“My family is driving to Ohio Amish country to go look at furniture,” Georgia Mowers said. “My family is obsessed with the Amish, so it is our thing to visit Amish country together.” 

Junior Olivia Mulcahey is spending part of her Winter break in Disneyland. As a California native from the Bay Area, taking a trip to Disneyland was necessary, especially to see the castle decked out for the holidays. 

Taking full advantage of the Winter season, Ryan Maloney is heading up to New Hampshire over break. While there, Maloney plans to spend time with his family while taking advantage of New England skiing. 

Other students are aiming to seek refuge from the incoming cold winter. Sophomore Ryan Wall is going on a family trip to Turks and Caicos. Winter break is the time to relax with family and enjoy a much-needed vacation. 

Although going on vacation is the plan for many Villanovans, some are simply spending the time at home and even becoming tourists in their own city. 

“I’m from Chicago, so I can’t wait to go to the Chicago Zoo to check out their Christmas light display,” Maggie Winston said. “I also just want to spend a lot of my time with my dog while I have the chance.”

For others, having a Winter break does not necessarily mean they are taking a break. Sophomore Sophie Ilkhanoff has discovered that being at college can be wildly expensive, so she is planning on heading back to her job at home and picking up some extra shifts to prepare for second semester and the inevitable Doordash orders. 

With no school work comes no responsibilities, but for the hundreds of young women going into Sorority Recruitment and the hundreds of young women getting ready to recruit, Winter break is a time of preparation. Riley Hawkins plans to be somewhat busy preparing for recruitment while also managing her new position in her sorority. 

Fall of 2019 is the last time Villanova was able to hold a normal and totally in-person semester. Many Villanovans were not even students at the University then. Despite the learning curve that was present this semester while getting back to normal, it has come to a close. No matter how you are spending your break, this is a time to reflect on the effort and hard work that has gone into the past four months while here at Villanova. In three weeks, campus will be back and we will once again be struggling to find a place to sit in Connelly Center during the lunch rush. Appreciate your time, wherever you go, over this holiday season.