After two weeks of classes, winter break offered an opportunity to rest, connect with family and friends, and seek new places and interests. Students reflected on how they spent their time off, sharing meaningful moments and experiences that defined their break.
Abigail Wang ’27:
“I traveled back to [my home in] Qatar, went to Spain for a week, and then went back. I went sightseeing around Spain, going to churches, museums, and other well-known locations. I slept a lot when I got back… My most memorable experience was hiking up a mountain in the rain on Christmas to see a church that had been built on top of the mountain. It was pretty.”
Ellie Su ’28:
“The most important part of Winter break is the fact that you get to rest after the Fall Term, but I did other things as well. I went to Washington D.C. and saw some landmarks. I went to a math conference, and I ate at a restaurant together with my friends… I also attended an academic conference to see some friends and to attend lectures. I played with fireworks on New Year’s Eve with my family. Spending time with my family felt the most memorable [to me] after the Fall Term.”
Zachary Yuan ’27:
I flew home to Hong Kong, and the food there was really good. My mom’s cooking was amazing, and the weather there was nice, it wasn’t that cold. There’s this one noodle place, one of my favorite places, and I go there every time I go back. They have this special secret formula for the noodles, and you can’t get it anywhere else. My family and I went to Australia for a week, and we tried kangaroo meat, which I didn’t really like. I got to spend time with my brother. We went fishing and spearfishing, and we made sushi. I did celebrate the New Year, but I slept through the countdown because I was tired. The next day, my family went out to a nice restaurant.
Advika Swamy ’29:
My cousins came into town and we went to Snowport and visited Boston. We hung out at my house to play Charades. My most memorable experience was just hanging out with my family because I haven’t seen most of them in a while. I celebrated New Year’s with my aunt, my cousin, and both my parents. We were watching TV and watching the ball drop.
Nicholas Jung ’28:
I went back home to Korea to spend time with my friends. We went to karaoke, played games like NBA 2K, and had Korean barbecue at different restaurants. I reunited with my family after being separated for a while and overall had a great time being closer again with my friends and family… My grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousin all gathered at our new house [that] we moved into. On New Year’s Day, we all ate rice cake soup, a Korean tradition to symbolize a fresh start to the new year and gaining one year of age.
Maya York ’29:
Over break, I mostly slept in and stayed close to my home. I did some winter shopping and spent time with my friends and family. I visited my grandparents in Maine for Christmas. I also spent a few days in Vermont to ski and celebrate the new year. I hadn’t skied in a few years, but it came back to me quickly and I remembered how much I love it. I celebrated the New Year with my family and friends. We watched fireworks, blew party horns, and ate twelve grapes, one for each month of the new year.
Abigail Wang ’27 spent her part of her break siteseeing in Spain.
From kangaroo meat to spearfishing, Zachary Yuan ’27 explored Australia.
Maya York ’29 had a snowy holiday season visiting her granparents in Maine.
Advika Swamy ’29 visited Snowport in Boston with her cousins.
