While most of us look forward to traveling back home for Winter Break, there are a few of us who will be spending Christmas and New Year’s on campus. For those selective few, my thoughts and prayers go out to you. But don’t fret — I have some words of encouragement and tips on how to survive the cold, desolate four weeks.
Listen up, campus castaways. You didn’t choose the lonely holiday life; the lonely holiday life chose you. But don’t let this grim reality get you down — there are ways to make the best of this unique experience.
On to survival mode: food.
Forget those gourmet family meals. You’re now playing “What Mystery Dish Will Sharples Serve Today?” Pro tip #1: If it looks like it could survive a nuclear winter, it’s probably safe to eat. Those industrial-strength steam trays aren’t just cooking your food; they’re preserving it for archaeological study. Wait, actually, scratch all that — I forgot Sharples is closed over Winter Break. In that case, your culinary adventure shifts outdoors. Go hunting in the Crum Woods. You’ll probably find some deer to kill.
Now that we’ve got food figured out (sort of), let’s talk about your newfound kingdom.
On the bright side, campus won’t be as crowded. Imagine a post-apocalyptic landscape, but with better architecture and more pretentious academic buildings. Your campus is now a private kingdom where you can do all that you wish without anyone giving you side-eye. Want to roam around in your underwear in Parrish Hall? Go ahead. The only audience is a confused EVS worker and maybe a very judgmental mouse.
But what will you do with all this solitude?
While it’s true that your entertainment options are slim to none, there are a few highlights:
McCabe Marathon: Become best friends with obscure academic journals. Nothing says “holiday spirit” like reading 300-page dissertations on 17th-century Flemish economic policies. At the end of the day, you are a Swarthmore student, so there will never be a point where you’re studying too much.
Netflix and Literally No Chill: Your Netflix algorithm is about to get WEIRD. By day three, it’ll recommend documentaries so niche that even the filmmakers have forgotten why they made them.
Matchbox Mayhem: You can finally visit the bottom floor of the Matchbox and not feel like you’re being judged by the student athletes for invading their domain.
And speaking of your domain, let’s not forget the unique quirks of dorm life in winter.
Your dorm room’s temperature is a randomly controlled experiment. One moment you’re in a sauna; the next, you’re auditioning for “March of the Penguins.” Pro survival tip #2: Layers are your new religion.
Still feeling left out of the holiday cheer?
Here’s the thing: while everyone else is drowning in family drama, forced small talk, and post-holiday credit card bills, you’re building character. You’re becoming the kind of person who can find humor in absolute isolation, who can turn an empty campus into a personal growth retreat.
Sure, your Instagram stories might scream “help me” more than “holiday cheer,” but you’re developing a resilience that can’t be learned in comfortable family living rooms. You’re learning to adapt, thrive, and — most importantly — make jokes about your circumstances.
Hang in there, campus castaways. You’re building character — or at least, that’s what you’ll tell yourself. Spring semester is coming, and with it, the sweet relief of human noise and communal suffering.
This piece is dedicated to every student who knows that “home for the holidays” is more of a suggestion than a universal truth.
