Life at LFA this semester is clearly up for a unique experience compared to previous semesters, with athletic seasons being changed around, possibly not having events like Winter Formal and Prom, and even having the February Frog Hunt be a completely different experience from previous years. However, perhaps the biggest change to come this semester  is having no Spring Break, which entails the addition of Cycle Breaks.

Cycle Breaks are meant to give students a chance to rest and make up for the lack of Spring Break. However, chances are you may find yourself catching up on schoolwork or maybe even getting ahead. What can one really do besides that when Cycle Breaks are normally in the middle of the week? Here are some ideas on how to entertain yourself with something that isn’t schoolwork.

1. Participate in a House Cup competition: Whether it’s a scavenger hunt or submitting a picture of yourself for house points, there’s no harm and plenty of fun in winning points for your house.
2. Go for a run: All weather is great for running! Challenge yourself. Take some laps around the track. Go jogging on Caxy Drive. Not only is it an effective way to destress, it’s also good for your physical and mental health overall. Plus, you get to catch some pretty sights!
3. Try a sport you’ve never done before: Make use of that on-campus ice rink! Call up some friends and go skating, or maybe go by yourself! Or maybe shoot some hoops in the gym, or spike some volleyballs. Get some racquets from the cages and go play tennis with a friend, or maybe even toss a frisbee. You may get pretty good at it! 
4. Lift: Go up to the fitness room and get those muscles working! It’s there for your benefit, so why not make use of it?
5. Try a new artistic hobby: Whether that’s drawing, or maybe even borrowing a friend’s instrument and teaching yourself to play it, artistic hobbies are a great way to destress, especially if it’s chilly outside. Grab a hot drink and get those creative juices flowing!
6. Listen to music you don’t normally listen to: Let’s face it, we all get a bit tired of listening to the same 5 songs every day, even if they’re our favorite songs. Ask around for music recommendations! Stretch out of your comfort zone, musically and socially, by asking people you don’t normally talk to about what they’ve been listening to recently. Hey, you may end up making a really good friendship in the process!
7. Watch that movie/show you’ve been meaning to watch: We all have that list of movies or shows we’ve been meaning to watch but just can’t get to with how busy our lives are. Take that Cycle Break and make use of it to binge watch that show!
8. Actually get some sleep: Let’s face it, not many students get in that much sleep during a regular school night, so why not make use of the time to catch up on that much-needed sleep? Your body will thank you later.
9. Organize: Whether that’s your closet, your desk, your fridge, or maybe even your pantry, we all get a kick out of seeing things be neatly organized. Very satisfying. So why not treat your eyes to a clean and organized space?
10. Cook: Although it’s much easier for day students to just grab a couple eggs from the fridge and turn on a stove, who’s to say a boarding student can’t challenge themselves to recreate the same dish using a microwave in the dorm (unless you live in Warner, then go cook with your pretty stove)?
11. Lay outside and do absolutely nothing: Snowing? Put on a big coat and go lay down on the quad to see the snow fall. Sunny? Put on some shorts and also go lay on the quad and watch the sunset. Maybe play some music. There’s nothing hard about doing this, it’s literally the least stressful activity one can do.