Every student’s first semester at college is a blast. You’re away from home for perhaps the first time. You’re seeing things and doing stuff. Crazy stuff. Or maybe you’ve been keeping up those grades, living the life of that A+ student we all wish we could be. Or maybe you haven’t quite figured out exactly what you want from college.

Do you want good grades or a social life? To get in that morning workout or to take a nap? Or do you just not know? It’s okay. We’ve all been there. Anything that you decide is fine for you so long as it’s what you truly desire. Regardless, that decision process can be rough. And with midterms coming up, we can’t wait for that all-too-short break soon to follow.

Fall Break. A measly Friday and Monday off that we’re somehow just too excited for. For many people, they’re just happy for an excuse to go home and see old friends and family. For some, they’re excited to go to friend’s houses and do exciting and new things like see a new city or go to Fright Fest at Six Flags.

Yet some students are just glad to not have classes. Students who attend Millikin University hail from numerous states, some being as far away as Florida, California, or even Maine. Some students even come from other countries. The distance involved here makes it really difficult for a student to return home for a matter of days. While I only live 2.5 hours away and can easily return home, students who live further away tend to only have a few options:

Find a friend to go home with; or, stay on campus, which no one really wants to do. From personal experience, I’ve found that people tend to not only be okay with bringing home a friend in need but also get really excited to show someone new their hometown and what’s around them. However, there are still some things you can do if you choose to stay on campus!

1. Take this opportunity to catch up on some highly procrastinated homework. Lock yourself in your room a few days and try to convince yourself that watching countless hours of Netflix and bingeing on mac n’ cheese and cookie dough is part of the assignment.
2. Find people on campus who are also staying. Do something fun. My freshman year, the soccer team was required to stay for break and so we, with a few friends who also did not go home, decided to just hang out and play games. Anything seems more fun when you’re one of the few people on campus.
3. Get out there and explore Decatur! In the light of day, of course. And not alone. Please, for the sake of sanity, not alone.
4. Hit up the Scovill Zoo! Boo at the Zoo starts during Fall Break, so you can look up the hours, pay that $5.95, and have yourself a blast at this tiny but surprisingly nice zoo.
5. Go to some Haunted Houses in the area. The Scream, located just down the road on W. Eldorado, is actually a pretty freaky haunt. Prices are relatively inexpensive at $7.00 but are worth it for this hair-raising action. Caution: there are clowns, vortex tunnels, and other freaky things.
6. Get in some service hours by volunteering at The Scream! It’s a ton of fun and you get to scare the living heck out of small children. Not to mention your own peers! It’s so much fun; I do it every year. Check out decaturscream.com to see a lovely banner image of myself volunteering there.

But most of all, take some time for yourself to just sit back and relax. Smile. You’re halfway through the semester.