Thanksgiving break is officially over and we all know what that means, finals week. Finals week is approaching at a fast pace at Wichita State.

Students and teachers are stressed to the max finishing school work and grading. These last two weeks of classes seem to be moving at hyper speed. We are then thrown into the holidays after all of this chaos; however, we need a little more of a transition.

After finals week, students should have a support system. That system can be family, friends or whoever a student feels comfortable with. Here is a list of fun activities students can do to calm the stress that occurred from finals.

Ice skating.

The Wichita Ice Center is a great way for students to stay active, while getting into the holiday spirit. The rink is located at 505 West Maple Street. Admission is only $5, Monday through Sunday afternoons, and $7 on Friday and Saturday evenings. Shoe rentals are only $3. Ice Skating is a great way to have a good laugh with your friends. Not everyone can skate, most people look like baby deer walking for the first time. The rink has walkers for first time skaters, so don’t be scared to try something new. The rink also offers fun games for children and adults to participate in. Public skating has two sessions: 12:00-3:00 for early afternoon, and 7:30-9:30 in the evenings, 7:30-10:30 on weekends.

Christmas lights.

Christmas lights are one of the most beautiful parts of Christmas. You can simply get in your car and drive down nearly any cul-de-sac to look at the lights. The lights bring joy. As a child, when we saw the lights, we were mesmerized. The lights are also a great way to spice up your Instagram page. One location where you can better interact with the lights is Illuminations at Botanica. There are three light exhibits with over two million lights. Each exhibit has lights that interact to Christmas music. Tickets are to be purchased strictly online and due to covid protocols, no walk-ins are available. The price range is $13 for adults, $9 for children and members, and two years and under are free. The lights will be displayed until January 1st.

Secret Santa.

As finals come to an end and we travel back home, we have to say goodbye to our friends. The friendships we make in college often turn out to be our families. They see us at our breaking points and act as our support system in our college years. A great way to say goodbye is with a Christmas party. Invite your friends over to your apartment or dorm and turn on that holiday music. You can make Tiktok hot cocoa balls, watch your favorite Christmas movies, rock those Christmas onesies and participate in secret Santa. Simply draw a random person’s name from a bowl and buy them a present.

Finals are a stressful time, but that does not mean the rush to finish classes has to complete chaos. Take in these next four years of your life and make the most of your time here at WSU.