While December does include Dead Week and Finals Week, it also holds an excitement and magic in the air associated with Winter Break (for those in school at least) and the holidays. Here are some things that made the month of December that much more exciting for my floormates and I!
1. Decorations
The holidays bring an array of decorations, with one of my personal favorites being lights. Whether woven into bushes, hung on trees, or strung up in a dorm hallway, they never fail to automatically brighten my mood (yes, this even applies when waking up for my 8 AM Finite class). Along with decorating the hallway, most people decorate their rooms. I brought a miniature Christmas tree from home along with a few other decorations to add to the festiveness. As a special touch, we put IU bulbs on it. Go Hoosiers!
2. Snow
Two things I like about snow: how pretty it is when it first falls and sledding/snowball fights. Having our first major snow at the beginning of the month, there was only one thing to do: go out in it at one o'clock in the morning and be crazy! Although it mostly consisted of us pushing one another into the snow, it was still fun and is something that everyone should do with a group of friends at least once.
3. Holiday Activities
One thing we decided to do as a floor was Secret Santa. We used a website to draw names randomly and for five days (the week before finals) placed something into our chosen floormate's stocking, beginning with smaller items such as candy and nail polish. On Thursday night, we all got together and tried to guess who our Secret Santas were. After guessing, we learned who our Secret Santa actually was and were presented our "big gifts." Everyone got gifts based on their personality and likes/dislikes...jewelry, posters, stuffed animals, candles, and hand-written notes were all exchanged, making it really exciting for everyone. This was an awesome pre-finals week tension reliever and way to join in the giving spirit without completely emptying our pockets!
The cold also brings the desire to stay inside whenever possible. This means pizza deliveries, movie nights, and lots of hot chocolate. One night, we sat in the hallway and colored holiday pictures to make our hallway even more festive (as seen below). It's little things like this that make living in the dorms a fun and unique experience and make getting to know your floormates that much more important!
As December comes to an end and January begins, I hope that your December was as fun-filled as mine was. There's nothing like spending December in the dorms!
Until next time,
Morgan.
For more about December and winter in B-Town, check out these: