Make the Most of your Winter Break!

By: Peer Advisors-- Aleksandr and Courtney

Congratulations Business Niners! You made it to the end of the Fall 2021 semester! Now as we move into a couple well deserved weeks off, here are some tips on how to maximize your time during Winter Break

Spend some time outdoors! If you’re spending your break by staying in North Carolina, take a quick drive to the mountains or the beach. From Charlotte, Asheville is a 2 hour drive and there are so many things to do! You can check out the Biltmore Estate with all of the Christmas lights or take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If the beach is more your style, Wilmington is 3 and a half hours away and there are plenty of great beaches and a fun downtown area. Lastly, if you’re not a fan of driving, you can take the light rail from campus to Uptown and check out Romare Bearden Park.

There are some other fun things to do in Charlotte during the break. The US National Whitewater Center has an ice rink and you can skate and buy hot chocolate. You can also check out the Speedway Christmas at Charlotte Motor Speedway through January 16th. If you’re looking for an opportunity to give back to the community over break, you can volunteer to help clean up the Charlotte Rail Trail on December 18th.

The US National Whitewater Center’s Ice Skating Rink

Next, the time off allows a good reset to prepare for the Spring semester. Be sure to return those Fall semester textbooks you rented and declutter your backpack and workspaces! It’s always a great idea to make sure you are organized and ready to go for the next semester. If you’re feeling ambitious and looking for other ways to advance your educational and career goals, you can spend time ensuring that your LinkedIn profile is up to date. You can also check out some courses on Coursera, they offer a couple of certificate classes that only last a few weeks and you get one course for free as a college student.

If you’re feeling like self-care is your number one priority going into the break, there are lots of great options. You could take some time to do a holiday movie marathon or watch your favorite movie. There are lots of great books that you can check out from Atkins Library to take home with you over the break. There also will be free massages in the Student Union on December 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th, and 15th. UREC will also be open if you want to spend some time getting some exercise. Check out their hours here!

Other ways to maximize your Winter Break is through spending time with family and friends. There are numerous festive activities here in Charlotte to try out if you are still in the area during break. Here in Charlotte there is WinterFest at Carowinds, the Holidays at the Garden, and the Lake Norman Christmas Lights Boat Parade just to name a few.

The WinterFest at Carowinds is open now until January 2nd and this is where you, your family, and friends can see Christmas lights, ride some of your favorite rides, and experience some Christmas treats on account of Carowinds’ holiday menu. At the Holidays at the Garden you get to see the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden transform into a Winter wonderland. The garden is decorated with numerous Christmas lights, has marshmallow roasts, and a holiday shop as well in case you need to do some last minute gift shopping. At the Lake Norman Christmas Lights Boat Parade boats are decorated with lights and travel on the water from Blythe Landing to Ramsey Creek Park to Duke Energy Explorium for everyone to enjoy on a lake front.

Besides some relaxation and spending time with family and friends, another way to make the best of your Winter Break is to look at scholarship opportunities. UNCC’s Scholarship Portal has been open since the beginning of November and there are numerous scholarships to apply for that you are qualified for! You can take advantage of this opportunity by logging into your UNCC Portal and logging into the scholarship portal or by utilizing this link: UNCC Scholarship Portal . Most scholarships are due in the spring semester but there are a few due in December. By looking and applying for scholarships now you will be ahead and will be able to get in some references and letters of recommendations if needed.

Also if you have not already, remember to submit your FAFSA before the deadline of January 1st! By doing this you will be able to get an early estimate along with grants from both the school and federal government. If you need any assistance or questions in regards to your FASFA application you can visit the Niner Central website: Niner Central or the FASFA website.

Overall remember to enjoy your Winter Break and to stay safe and warm! Happy Holidays!