A Good Hill to Die On // Merry and Bright

Everyone debates when your Christmas tree should go up in your living room, if Black Friday is even producing great deals anymore and if “Die Hard” is really a Christmas film, but nobody confronts how we should be spending the abnormally long winter break here at Pitt. 

Many “adults” do not get to take three to four weeks off around the holidays unless they — in my opinion — have made it in life, so as emerging adults no longer in high school, we should be cherishing this time no matter how it is spent. 

We are only young once, but we also only get to live at home under the support of our parents for so many years. So take advantage of this time to relax and enjoy being a kid. One day we may all be working 9 to 5, wishing for a month at home in our beds. 

My family has sadly dealt with unimaginable loss this year, changing the way we approach the holiday season. I am more than grateful to be home with a type of love and comfort no dorm, campus or Pittsburgh charm can ever give. I am so excited for boiling hot showers — without shoes — and sleeping in my own bed wearing the most obscure outfits with pieces pulled straight from 2015 and not worrying about papers, exams or any other %$#!!

This three-week long hiatus, no matter where you call home, is made for rest and relaxation. 

Now, as a Pittsburgh native, I cannot tell you how to spend your break whether you live “just outside Philly” or in any neighboring state. I know I personally plan to attend the Holiday Mart in Market Square, still see the lights at Phipps, and eat every piece of cheap chocolate in my advent calendar. But this three-week-long break is not about the what, but the who. 

Do not watch “Elf” alone — make plans with friends and family to laugh together. Bake cookies and share them around the house, don’t hoard them. And most importantly, tell everyone how much you love them. During a season made for giving, give love, whether it is financial or emotional love.

Everyone has their own Pitt family, but for most, we should never forget our home family. This holiday break should be spent with the ones who have been there your whole life and are continuing to support you now. If you choose to spend all 21 days — yes, I counted — sleeping the day away, I understand, but take some time to support your family who truly misses you. 

You do not want to die on a hill where you regret wasting these holiday breaks, even if it is a festive, well-decorated hill.

These three odd weeks are going to fly by — they always do, and that’s what makes them so thrilling. We live our college lives constantly on the move, waiting for the next ball — exams, papers and grades — to drop. Home, whether you once loved or hated it, is an escape. Time flies there because, to me, we think less. We stop stressing about if we failed that exam or what we are eating for dinner, and we focus on ourselves. So if it is sleep you need, great! A home-cooked meal? Perfect. Shopping at the local mall? It’s all good — except for your wallet. 

Everyone deserves this long-awaited reward for a job well done during the fall 2024 semester. Life can resume in January. As a sophomore, I am already stressing about post-grad life, but when I am home, snuggled in bed, I feel young yet again.

No matter how you spend your holidays, spend them relaxing, soaking up the hominess and ignoring the next hill that awaits us in January 2025.